Challenges
by royalrosie2000
Summary: From grade one to graduation, and the drama in between, Lucy faces a lot of challenges. Fifteenth chapter: How to completely and irreparably have your life spin out of your control.
1. Grade 1

**I was reading a story where someone (I'm not mentioning any names) decided to make an OC character and tell their life story through them.**

**I immediately decided that I could do better (I have a gigantic competitive streak) and started this. It doesn't revolve around an OC character, and it isn't based on my personal life. But, I just wanted to try it out.**

**So, I have no idea where this is going, but I'll work on it! (In fact, as I'm writing this, I haven't even thought of a plot. I just want to try and see what I can do)**

**Btw, with my other stories (just in case some of the people reading this have read any of my other stories) I know I should probably try and finish them up first, but i have this disease which causes me to make stupid and spontaneous decisions. It's called insanity. I'm pretty sure half the people on this sight also have it... XD **

**Here we go!**

* * *

**September 5th, Love and Lucky elementary school:**

"Are you ready for your first day of grade one, Lucy?" Layla kneeled down to face her daughter.

Lucy turned to her mother with watery eyes.

"B-But, you're gonna stay with me, right momma?"

Layla shook her head.

"Lucy, you're a big girl now. You'll be fine. I packed your lunch and did your hair up all special, remember? Now wipe your eyes so you don't look like a big crybaby. We wouldn't want that now, would we?"

Lucy hurriedly wiped her eyes, and her bottom lip trembled a bit more before she took a deep breath and hugged her mother one last time.

"G'bye momma! I'll see you after school, right?" Lucy asked, already starting to run off.

Layla stood up and waved.

"Of course. Oh, and Lucy?"

Lucy stopped running and turned back.

"I love you." Layla smiled warmly, and Lucy grinned.

"I love you too, momma!"

Lucy started running again, though the classroom was right there.

Her features took on a determined expression, and she took her first step into the classroom.

She certainly wasn't late, but a dozen or so kids were already there.

Lucy frowned when she realized that parents were in fact allowed to enter the classroom with their kids.

Lucy looked at the kids milling about, recognizing a few faces from last year.

Katie Smith, Megan Pheeb, and Natsu Dragneel.

Katie and Megan were her best friends in the whole wide world, and Natsu was the most obnoxious boy in the whole wide world.

Lucy looked around the classroom. Creamy white walls and worn grey carpet, three medium-sized windows along the exterior wall, and a gigantic whiteboard on the opposite wall. The wall nearest the doorway had a row of cubbies, and some of the shiny hooks already had backpacks on them. Five desks dotted the classroom, each one big enough to hold four kids.

Lucy started to move for her friends, only to be intercepted by a tall woman with short blonde hair, a slightly hooked nose, and beady brown eyes.

"Hello, my name is Ms. Mills. What's your name?" Ms. Mills had a polite voice, but the way her eyes seemed to focus completely on Lucy slightly unnerved her.

"M-My name's Lucy. Uh, where should I put my bag?"

Ms. Mills held up a hand, as if to say, 'one moment.'

Ms. Mills scanned her clipboard, which Lucy had only just noticed, and eventually found what she was looking for and made a small note. Then, she turned back to Lucy.

"You can put your bag on an unused hook. Join the other children on the carpet, and once everyone gets here, we'll start class."

Lucy nodded, and carefully hooked her sparkly blue bag on the closest hook.

"Luce!" a familiar voice called, and Lucy cringed.

"What do you want, Flame-brain?" Lucy set her hands on her hips and spun to face the little brat.

"I was just gonna say hi. Geez Luce, you're so weird!"

"I'm not weird! You're weird!" Lucy huffed, noticing they were starting to draw attention.

"No, I'm pretty sure you're the weird one. Happy thinks you're an idiot!" Natsu grinned, pulling out Happy from his pant's pocket.

Happy is this small, slightly beat-up, blue stuffed cat that Natsu treasures. Natsu constantly used him as a means to voice his true 'opinions' which were usually pretty insulting. If anyone got mad at him, he'd just blame the cat.

"Well, Happy's a big meanie." Lucy addressed the blue cat, quite used to arguing with him.

"Whatever. I'm in your class again! Isn't that great?" Natsu grinned, stuffing Happy back into his pocket.

"No! It's bad. I don't want to be in your class again, droopy-eyes. You always pick on me!" Lucy glowered at Natsu.

Natsu started pouting, but didn't deny that he did pick on Lucy.

After figuring she'd waited the appropriate amount of time for an answer, Lucy simply walked off.

"Lucy!" The call reminded her of what she was going to do before Natsu interrupted.

"Katie! Megan!" Lucy smiled and ran over to her friends, sitting beside them on the rug.

"Lucy! You're here!" Megan squealed.

"Was Natsu bothering you again?" Katie glared at Natsu, who was now talking animatedly with his friends.

"Yeah, but I took care of him. He's such a booger-face." Lucy wrinkled her nose at Natsu.

Megan nodded eagerly, and Katie snorted.

"Class! Now that everyone's here, we're going to go around the circle and say our names, and our favourite colour." Ms. Mills announced.

Lucy looked up, surprised, and saw that everybody had indeed formed a circle while they were talking.

"How about... Lucy, you start!" Ms. Mills smiled stiffly.

"Um, okay, my name's Lucy and my favourite colour is pink!" Lucy smiled happily at everyone, even Natsu, who stuck his tongue out at her.

Next was Megan. "I'm Megan, and my favourite colour is pick too!" Megan giggled.

And around the circle it went. Lucy didn't pay attention until it was Natsu's turn.

"I'm Natsu, and my favourite colour is red!" Natsu declared, even standing up, which no one else had done.

A few more kids, and then Katie finished the circle. "I'm Katie, and I like blue."

"Alright, thank you everyone. Now we are going to get everyone seats and cubbies." Ms. Mills announced, her clipboard still in hand.

Instantly the kids were yelling about who they were going to sit with, or who they wanted to be next to with cubbies.

"QUIET!" Ms. Mills yelled, and everyone quieted down, Natsu being the last.

"I have already assigned both seats and cubbies, and I expect there to be no complaining." Ms. Mills raised her clipboard and started calling names.

"Table one will be Lucy, Natsu, Todd, and Bob."

Todd and Bob high-fived, while Lucy looked at Natsu in horror and Natsu stared at Lucy in glee, mischief sparkling in his black eyes already.

"NO!" Megan screamed at Ms. Mills, and was about to say something more, but Katie crammed a hand over Megan's mouth. Ms. Mills raised an eyebrow at us, but just continued on.

Lucy got up quickly with the idea she could sit diagonal from Natsu, but Todd and Bob had already sat across from each other.

Which meant she had to spend the rest of my year sitting across from Natsu.

Feeling faint, she slumped into her seat, next to Bob, and Natsu soon bounded into his seat, next to Todd.

Lucy groaned, and banged her head against the table.

"Worst day EVER."

* * *

**So, yeah. I've figured out what I want to do in this story, so hopefully this'll be going somewhere soon. Normally I don longer chapters, but this time I decided to just do however much I want. **

**Review please!**

**~THANKS FOR READING~**


	2. Halloween

**October 31, Halloween, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

Lucy re-adjusted her diamond tiara, tweaked her necklace, and admired her outfit.

Her blonde hair had been swept up into a bun, a real diamond tiara placed on her head, and lip gloss had been applied to her lips. Her custom princess dress had very short sleeves, a long skirt, and was made of a soft fabric that glimmered in the light. Her necklace was a simple silver chain, and she had on long elegant white gloves.

Very extravagant for a six year old, but her mother insisted on going all out every halloween.

Lucy smiled at her reflection and deemed herself ready for school. She raced downstairs and out the door, where her mother already had the car going.

Her parents was rich, and could always have a maid take Lucy to school. Yet Layla always found the time to drop off and pick up Lucy.

"Let's go! I want to show off my costume!"

Layla smiled playfully. "Off course, your highness."

Lucy giggled and spent the rest of the car ride practicing her condescending look. It wasn't too hard to master. She was her father's daughter, after all.

Soon they were at school.

"Bye momma! Love you!"

"Love you too, Princess!"

Lucy waved goodbye, and then marched into the classroom, head held high, ready for anything-

"Luce!"

-except that.

"Hello, Natsu." Lucy wasn't all too surprised by Natsu's red dragon costume.

Ah! Perfect time to try out that condescending look.

"Wow! Nice costume Luce! Are those gems? Are they real?"

Before Lucy could stop him, he had snatched away her diamond tiara.

"Natsu! Give that back!" Lucy demanded.

"Woah! I think they are real gems!" Natsu exclaimed, in his own little world.

"How would you know?!" Lucy screeched, getting quite hysterical.

"Chill, Luce. I'm just looking. I'll give it back."

"GIVE IT BACK NOW!" Lucy wailed. Her momma had gotten that special for her! He had no idea how much that cost!

"Well, if you want it THAT badly~" Natsu smirked, holding the tiara in the palm of his hand.

"I DO! GIVE IT!" Lucy finally lost it and tried to snatch it away.

Natsu easily held it out of her reach, and then took off running.

Lucy followed him, keeping pace with Natsu but never able to actually catch him.

The rest of the kids watched in general amusement as the princess chased the dragon around the classroom.

It was game over though when Natsu leaped onto a desk and Lucy tried to jump up after him, only to trip over her own dress and have her head collide with the edge of the desk.

The bang resounded around the classroom, and everyone stopped laughing.

Natsu looked around in confusion.

Lucy collapsed in a sobbing heap, and Megan screamed.

Suddenly, Ms. Mills arrived.

"What on earth is going on in here? Is that Lucy? Natsu, why are you on a table and holding a tiara..."

Ms. Mills pieced everything together.

She hurried over to Lucy.

"Lucy, are you alright?"

"M-My head hurts" Lucy cried, and Ms. Mills winced at the bruise already forming on Lucy's head.

"You need to go to the nurse. Megan, Katie, take her there." Ms. Mills said, and the two girls rushed over.

"Can you stand up?"

Lucy grabbed the desk edge and used it to pull herself up.

"Um, L-Luce?"

Lucy looked up at Natsu slowly.

"You can have your tiara back..."

Lucy blinked, and Megan ran up and snatched it from Natsu's hand.

"Thank you. Now, we have to get Lucy to the nurse." Megan glared pointedly at Natsu, while Katie let Lucy lean on her. The trio exited the classroom, and Ms. Mills wasted no time in getting down to business.

"Class, take your seats. Natsu, go wait for me in the hallway. I will be out shortly."

**October 31, Halloween, The Heartfilia Estate:**

Lucy grumpily turned off the light to her bedroom.

She had been 'banned' from going trick-or-treating.

It was just a minor head-wound! Momma said she could still go!

Papa was such a buzz-kill!

She was missing out on all that candy!

Since all she could do while awake was lie in bed and complain to herself about how unfair this all was, she had decided on an early bedtime.

Normally she was allowed to stay up late on Halloween...

_knock_

_knock_

"Momma?" Lucy wondered aloud, and ran to open her bedroom door.

Spetto stood there, paper bag in hand. "Ms. Lucy! A gift for you!"

Lucy looked up at her curiously.

Spetto handed her the paper bag and bowed before leaving.

Lucy closed her door and opened the bag.

Inside it was all sorts of candy! There was lollipops, and jellybeans, and chocolate bars, and all sorts of stuff.

Lucy's face lit up in joy and she hugged the bag happily.

"WAIT! SPETTO!" she yelled, opening her bedroom door again and running down the hall.

Spetto turned around just in time for Lucy to reach her.

"Yes?"

"Who got that for me?" Lucy asked.

Spetto thought for a moment before answering.

"He was a boy, about your age, dressed up like a dragon!"

* * *

**Yay! Second chapter- DONE!**

**THANKS FOR READING**

**Review please!**


	3. Paper Wars

**November 14, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

"Almost done!" Lucy smiled, sitting at her desk.

"What're you working on?" Katie asked curiously.

"I'm making a drawing for my momma!" Lucy announced proudly.

Megan and Katie peered over Lucy's shoulder.

To be honest, it was just a bunch of scribbles and lines, but to a six year old, it was a masterpiece.

"Wow! That's really good! What is it?" Megan picked up the drawing and looked at it closely.

"It's obviously me and my momma!" Lucy huffed.

Snatching back her drawing from Megan, Lucy pulled out another crayon and continued scribbling.

"LUCE!"

Natsu popped up from underneath the desk.

Megan squealed, Katie jumped, and Lucy shrieked.

"Why were you under there?!" Lucy asked.

"I dropped a crayon!" Natsu said, and held up a bright orange crayon to prove his point.

"Well, go away! I'm working on something super important right now!" Lucy turned back to her drawing.

Natsu stood up and looked over Lucy's shoulder.

"But Luce, that's really bad."

...

"GO AWAY!" The three girls screamed at him. Natsu quickly ran to the other side of the classroom and cowered.

Lucy turned back to her drawing, frowning.

"Is it really bad?"

"No, it's really good! Natsu's just a doofus!" Katie assured Lucy while Megan made faces at Natsu.

"Maybe I should do another one..."

"But you've worked so hard at this one!"

"Okay! I'll keep this one!" Lucy smiled and went back to colouring.

Megan and Katie smiled too and went back to their own seats.

All too soon though, Natsu was back.

"Go away Natsu, I'm drawing."

"But Luce-"

"And it's really good! Megan and Katie said so!"

"I'm telling you, it's bad!"

Lucy stuck her tongue out at Natsu and kept colouring.

"Lemme help you make it better!"

Natsu held up his orange crayon proudly while Lucy's eyes widened in alarm.

"NO-"

It was too late.

Natsu dove for the paper and successfully grabbed it while Lucy rose from her chair.

Quickly Natsu pressed down hard with his crayon and scribbled.

Lucy finally managed to push Natsu away and carefully picked up her drawing.

It was covered in so many orange lines and scribbles that you couldn't even see the pink underneath.

Lucy glared furiously at Natsu.

"JERK! IT'S RUINED!"

Natsu looked at the drawing again.

"Nope, it's really good now!"

"Ugh! This means war, flame-brain!" Lucy stomped her foot.

"Bring it!"

**November 15, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

"Hey Natsu! Whatcha working on?" Lucy asked.

Natsu looked at her suspiciously, hiding his red and orange drawing of a dragon behind his back.

"Your not gonna ruin it or anything, are you?"

"No! I'm gonna make it better!" Lucy smiled and held up a pink crayon.

Natsu's eyes widened, and he grabbed his favourite orange crayon and pointed it at Lucy.

Which caused him to drop his drawing.

Before Natsu could register what was going on, Lucy had pushed him aside, grabbed his drawing, and scribbled all over it.

"LUCE!" Natsu wailed angrily.

"All's fair in love and war! My momma told me that!" Lucy defended herself.

**November 16, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

_RIP_

"What was that?" Lucy asked.

She was currently at Katie's desk, all the way across class from where Lucy sat.

Lucy turned around and spotted Natsu by her desk, holding two pieces of ripped paper...

Her drawing!

"NO!" She screamed, running across the classroom.

Natsu glanced at her in alarm and quickly tore up the halves of the drawing into tiny bits.

Lucy reached her desk just as the last piece touched the ground.

"Natsu!" she yelled in anger

"All's fair in love and war!" He cheekily answered before running away.

**November 17, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

"What is wrong with you two recently?" Ms. Mills furiously asked.

"Normally you two are on edge but recently it's practically a war zone!"

Lucy sheepishly looked at her feet, but Natsu just stared defiantly at Ms. Mills.

"Natsu started it."

Natsu looked at Lucy in shock.

"No way! Luce started it!"

"No way! It's all your fault!" Lucy yelled at Natsu.

"It's all your fault!" Natsu yelled back.

"I don't care who's fault it is. Apologize now, or face the consequences." Ms. Mills stood up, towering easily over the two squabbling six-year olds.

Lucy cringed and Natsu whimpered.

"Well? I'm waiting." Ms. Mills tapped her foot.

Natsu grumbled, but turned to Lucy.

"Sorry I messed up your drawing..."

Lucy rolled her eyes. The apology was obviously insincere but Ms. Mills didn't seem to notice.

"Well, I'm sorry I messed up your drawing."

Ms. Mills nodded in approval.

"Thank you. You can go now."

Lucy followed Natsu to their desk.

They sat down.

"Liar." Lucy said after a moment.

"What?!" Natsu frowned.

"You're not sorry." Lucy pointed out the obvious.

"Well, duh. You aren't sorry either."

"How about... a truce?" Lucy suggested.

"What's a truce?" Natsu asked.

"It's like... when two people who are fighting decide not to fight anymore, no winners or losers." Lucy explained.

"Sure!" Natsu agreed.

**November 18, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

_Rip_

"NATSU!"

* * *

**All done with another~**

**In case it wasn't clear with that last part, Natsu broke the truce and ripped up Lucy's drawing.**

**THANKS FOR READING**

**Review please!**


	4. Valentines Day

**SORRY! I had been updating daily and then I just stopped… I was stuck on the next big holiday, christmas. I had a few ideas for it, but none of them seemed just right. Some were far-fetched, some were boring, and some needed Lucy and Natsu to have a much closer bond then they currently do (in this story). **

**So that is why I just skipped christmas entirely.**

**At some point I'll have a christmas, just not for grade one. Maybe grade two… anyway, I know this story is more a collection of short stories right now, but I do in fact have big plans for this story, even if it is slow going at first.**

**And Lucy and Natsu are not, in fact, the only fairy tail characters that will be in this story. **

**… but they're the only ones for now.**

**anyway, here we go!**

* * *

**February**** 14, Valentine's day, Love and Lucky elementary:**

Lucy walked around the room, handing out valentines and tiny chocolates to all her classmates.

Except Natsu.

He grumbled and crossed his arms, but Lucy wouldn't turn and hand him a chocolate.

He grumbled a bit louder.

Lucy still wouldn't turn back.

He certainly wasn't going to resort to begging or anything like that, but-

...those chocolates look really, really, really good.

His halloween stash was all gone, never mind the candy he collected for Lucy.

You'd think he'd get some better treatment after sacrificing half of his precious candy!

"Natsu!" Lucy FINALLY turned around.

Natsu looked up hopefully.

"Yeah, Luce?"

"Are you going to pass out any valentines?" Lucy eagerly asked, and Natsu's eyes drifted to the pile of tiny chocolate hearts already sitting on Lucy's desks.

"No. Are you going to give me one?" Natsu pointedly asked.

Lucy blinked, and hesitated before responding.

"Y-You didn't get one yet? Oh, I'm so sorry, but they're all gone! I gave the last one to Ms. Mills!" Lucy sighed, as if in great sorrow.

Natsu sunk into pouting-mode, waiting for Lucy to turn around.

If she wasn't going to give him a chocolate, he'd just have to take her chocolate!

Lucy perked up a bit when he started pouting, obviously thinking her lie had worked. She eventually turned back, heading off to who-knows-where.

Natsu had a mission.

Not knowing how long Lucy would be gone for, he got up quickly, scooped as much of Lucy's candy into his arms as he could manage, and made a break for it.

He ran out of class, and an angry yell soon followed, probably Lucy, though also quite possibly Ms. Mills.

Their classroom was on the second floor, with lots of hallway and stairs and not many hiding places.

Using the head-start he had, he raced to the stairway, running up.

The roof had always been a foreign place to the kids of the elementary school, but not Natsu.

It had started around when he first got here.

Natsu had been bored with class, and slipped out when no one was watching.

All too soon, his teacher noticed, and suddenly he was being chased.

At the time, his class had been on the first floor, so he had scrambled up the flights of stairs, reached the final floor, realized he had nowhere else to run, and started panicking.

It was then he noticed the trapdoor in the ceiling.

It was painted beige, to seamlessly fit in with the rest of the ceiling, but Natsu had always prided himself on 'advanced' senses. He had always smelled better, seen better, and heard better than anyone else, except maybe his dad.

He had pulled up a nearby desk, stacked a chair on top of that, and somehow opened the trapdoor and pulled himself up before whoever was chasing him reached him.

In the process, he had kicked the chair a bit too hard, so it fell off the desk.

Natsu had hurriedly closed the trapdoor, and looked around.

The roof of the building was boring and bleak, covered in bird poop, and very high-up.

He had stayed there with a feeling of intense pride for a few hours, before re-opening the trapdoor, dropping down onto the desk, and walking back to class with a feeling of intense accomplishment.

His teacher had been pulling her hair out over him being missing, and when Natsu had walked back into class, she had almost fainted.

He liked Ms. Mills better.

But back to the present story.

Natsu reached the third floor quickly, wondering how in the world he was going to get up to the roof without his hands.

He heard Lucy's voice, screaming for her candy, and he impulsively just stuffed all of the candy in his mouth, wrappers and all, and pushed over the desk and chair.

He climbed up them faster than ever, opened the trapdoor, heaved himself up, and closed the trapdoor.

Natsu spat out all the candy, a bit grossed out by the spit on them, but hey, Lucy sure wasn't gonna want them now. And they were all still wrapped up, so if he removed the wrappers, they'd be fine.

He closed the trapdoor, and pressed his ear to it, trying to hear what was happening in there.

Muffled voices reached his ears.

"Where'd he go?" That was Lucy!

"I don't know, he didn't pass us on the stairs, and I don't hear any overly loud-noises from the classrooms on this floor, so he couldn't have gone into any of them..." Ms. Mills now, who else was there?

Natsu pulled away from the trapdoor. They had no idea where he was.

A maniacal grin spread across his face as he turned to the chocolates.

Time to eat.

**February 14, Valentine's day, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

Lucy grabbed her backpack from it's hook, not even saying goodbye to her friends as she raced outside.

Time to find Flame-brain.

She first ran outside, to tell her momma that she had to find Natsu before she could go home.

"Momma!" she ran to her, a small smile working it's way onto Lucy's face despite her anger.

"Hello Lucy, how was school?"

"It was horrible momma! Natsu stole all my valentine's chocolate, and then he ran off and we can't find him!" Lucy angrily told her mom.

Layla blinked.

"But he's right up there." Layla pointed at the roof.

Lucy's eyes widened, and she turned around and looked up at the roof.

Sure enough, there he was, running round on the roof, not afraid at all.

Lucy's jaw dropped.

"Should we go tell Ms. Mills we found him?" Layla gently suggested.

"Y-Yeah." Lucy responded.

The two made their way to Lucy's classroom, where they found a very annoyed Ms. Mills talking to a middle-aged man with red hair and a middle-aged man with grey hair.

"Excuse me?" Layla knocked on the open door, and immediately all discussion ceased.

"Ms. Heartfilia. Can I help you?" Ms. Mills smiled bitterly, like she really didn't need Layla there right now.

"Actually, Lucy and I have discovered where Natsu Dragneel is. If you would come with us?" Layla smiled serenely, and Ms. Mills let out a sigh of intense relief.

**February 14, Valentine's Day, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

Natsu froze.

He had been on the roof for a while now, and school was over.

So why did he have this feeling like he was in serious danger?

He wasn't near the edge of the roof, and there was no one else on the roof.

Surely no one could have seen him up here, right?

A sudden creaking noise from the trapdoor made him jump up from his sitting position, and look around for a spot to hide.

There was none.

"NATSU!"

Crap.

Igneel Dragneel, Natsu's father, strode towards him.

Followed by Ms. Mills.

Followed by some unknown women who resembled Lucy.

Followed by Lucy herself.

(Who actually wasn't supposed to be there, but she had followed before the principal (who was waiting in the hall) could stop her)

Natsu flinched under all the angry stares.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?"


	5. Morning Routine

**Lucy Heartfilia, 7:30: **Wake up.

**Lucy Heartfilia, 7:40:** Get dressed.

**Lucy Heartfilia, 7:45:** Go down for breakfast.

**Lucy Heartfilia, 7:50: **Sit down at the dining table.

**Lucy Heartfilia, 8:00:** Eat a breakfast of eggs and toast.

**Lucy Heartfilia, 8:30: **Go get her shoes on.

**Natsu Dragneel, 8:30:** Wake up.

**Lucy Heartfilia, 8:35: **Get in the car.

**Natsu Dragneel, 8:35: **Get dressed.

**Natsu Dragneel, 8:37: **Eat a breakfast of cereal.

**Natsu Dragneel, 8:43: **Pull on his shoes.

**Natsu Dragneel, 8:45:** Exit the house.

**Lucy Heartfilia, 8:50: **Arrive at school.

**Natsu Dragneel, 8:50:** Arrive at school.

**Natsu Dragneel, 8:53: **Enter the classroom.

**Lucy Heartfilia, 8:55:** Enter the classroom.

**Natsu Dragneel, 8:55: **Sit down at his desk.

**Lucy Heartfilia, 8:56: **Start talking to her friends.

**Natsu Dragneel, 8:56: **Notice Lucy.

**Lucy Heartfilia, 8:57: **Notice Natsu.

**Natsu Dragneel, 8:57: **Get up from desk to go bug Lucy.

**Lucy Heartfilia and Natsu Dragneel, 8:57- 8:58: **Fight loudly.

**Lucy Heartfilia and Natsu Dragneel, 8:59:** Get yelled at by Ms. Mills.

_**9:00: School starts.**_

* * *

This one was a short one, but the idea popped into my head and I couldn't help myself.

Sorry 'bout the shortness~

To make up for it I may post another chapter today.


	6. Nin-nin!

**GRADE 2**

**November 3, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

They were sitting on the carpet with the rest of the class while their teacher talked.

"Nin-nin." A boy wrapped up in black muttered.

"Stop it." A girl dressed in pink whispered back.

"Nin-nin..."

"I said STOP IT."

"Nin-nin."

"NATSU!" Lucy screamed.

Immediately all eyes turned on the two.

Halloween had been awesome, and Lucy got lots of candy, which was great.

Until Natsu decided to keep his ninja costume on.

It had been three days, and Lucy COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE.

"Lucy, is Natsu bothering you?" Ms. Roberts asked.

Ms. Roberts was their new teacher. She was kind, and nice, and didn't believe that Lucy could do anything wrong.

Which was great for Lucy.

"Natsu's just sitting next to me so he can keep saying 'nin-nin' and annoy me!" Lucy complained loudly.

"Natsu, is that true?" Ms. Roberts frowned at the boy.

"Nin-nin."

"Natsu, please respond properly to my questions. Now, were you purposefully bothering Lucy?"

Natsu paused, and then nodded.

"Nin-nin..." he said half-heartedly.

"Well, Natsu, switch places with Katie immediately."

Natsu nodded and raced over to his new spot, Katie sitting beside Lucy with a neutral expression on her face. Ms. Roberts sighed and went back to her lesson.

"Katie?" Lucy whispered.

"Ssh."

"But-"

"Ssh." Katie was obviously very adamant about this, so instead Lucy turned to her right, where Megan sat.

"Megan?"

"Yeah?"

"We need to get Natsu out of that costume."

"Totally. What should we do?" Megan asked.

"What if we soaked him? Then he'd have to change clothes." Lucy suggested.

"But whenever he's been totally soaked before he never changed." Megan pointed out.

"Hmm... what if we broke into his house and stole the costume while he was sleeping?"

"That's a totally terrible idea. We don't know where Natsu lives!"

"Maybe Katie will have a better idea."

"I've got it!" Megan smiled.

"You've got what?"

"How to totally get Natsu out of his ninja costume!"

"Awesome!" Lucy cheered quietly.

"I know!" Megan whispered proudly.

"What's the idea?"

* * *

**November 4, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

"Natsu! What a surprise." Layla Heartfilia smiled gently at the little ninja in front of her.

"Nin-nin?" Natsu looked up at her.

"I'm Layla, do you remember me? I haven't seen you since you took my daughter's chocolates. I'm here to pick up Lucy. Are you waiting for you father? He must be having such trouble, raising a handful like you by himself. " Layla mused.

Layla crouched down, so she was eye level with Natsu.

"Natsu. Can you take off that ninja costume for me?" Layla asked.

"Nin-nin!" Natsu shook his head defiantly.

"I see." Layla stood up slowly, smile fading.

Natsu blinked, slightly surprised she had given up so easily.

"Natsu."

Natsu looked at Layla, waiting for whatever she said next.

"I'm disappointed in you." Layla said softly, eyebrows ever so slightly nudged together.

Natsu stared in shock at the retreating form of Layla.

* * *

**November 5, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

Lucy smiled gleefully.

Natsu had just entered class, NOT dressed like a ninja.

"Your mom's totally awesome." Megan commented.

"Totally."

"Hey Luce!" Natsu shouted and waved.

"Here he comes." Lucy sighed.

Megan giggled.

"Luce! I saw your mom yesterday! She was weird, like you Luce!" Natsu grinned.

Lucy bit her lip in an effort not to yell at him.

"Luce? Why are you biting you lip like that?"

"DON'T INSULT MOMMA!" Lucy screamed, and stomped on Natsu's foot.

"OW! LUCE!"

"Lucy! Why did you ever do that?!" Ms. Roberts rushed over.

"He insulted my momma, Ms. Roberts!" Lucy batted her eyelashes in hoped the older woman wouldn't punish her.

"Lucy. If someone insults you or your family, you should never resort to violence! Talk it out! Be kind!" Ms. Roberts urged to two seven year olds.

Natsu took the pause that followed as an opportunity to punch Lucy in the shoulder.

"OW! NATSU!" Lucy whined.

"NATSU!" Ms. Roberts yelled.

Natsu glared up at his teacher.

"She hit me."

"But that doesn't mean you hit her!"

"It... it doesn't?" Natsu looked a little lost.

"No, it doesn't Natsu. People use their words to talk things out, they should never resort to violence!" Ms. Roberts pressed.

"But... she stepped on my foot."

"So tell her how that made you feel!" Ms. Roberts encouraged.

"Uh... okay... it made me angry, Luce."

Lucy, who had been busy feeling sorry for herself, glared at Natsu.

"Now, Lucy, you tell him how that made you feel."

"It made me feel like doing this!" Lucy pounced on Natsu, pulling his hair, punching whatever she could.

Natsu responded with equal enthusiasm, and soon the two were engaged in a full-out battle.

Megan and Katie (and the rest of the girls in the class) cheered for Lucy, while all the boys cheered for Natsu.

Meanwhile, Ms. Roberts gasped in horror, feeling weak in the knees.

* * *

**November 5, Love and Lucky Elementary, Principal's Office:**

"He insulted my momma."

"She stepped on my foot."

"He punched me."

"She attacked me!"

"He-"

"ENOUGH!" The principal shouted.

"But-" Natsu tried.

"No." the principal interrupted.

"B-" Lucy started.

"No."

...

"BUT-" Natsu yelled.

"NO TALKING!"

A long pause followed.

"Now. Tell me how this all started." the principal calmly said.

"Natsu was wearing a ninja costume, and it was really annoying me." Lucy explained.

"A ninja costume?" the principal repeated.

"An _awesome _ninja costume." Natsu added.

"So my friend and I had this idea that we could get my momma to get him to take it off." Lucy continued.

"Why your mom?" the principal asked.

"You haven't met her mom, have you?" Natsu stared at the principal.

"So anyway, my momma agreed to help, and she talked to Natsu, and then today he wasn't wearing the costume, but then he came up and insulted my mom. So I stomped on his foot, and he punched me, and so I attacked him, and he happily responded." Lucy finished.

"And now you're here." the principal looked thoughtful.

"Are... are we in trouble?" Lucy tentatively asked.

"Yes. I'm going to phone both your parents."

"Okay." Natsu easily responded.

"Uh, well..." Lucy looked like she wanted to protest, but she held her tongue.

"...fine."

"Now, both of you stay here for an hour and fill out the worksheet Ms. Roberts supplied, and then you can go."

Lucy's jaw dropped.

"AN HOUR?!" she screamed.

Natsu's eyes bulged out in horror.

"A WORKSHEET?!"

* * *

**Um... well... I didn't really mean for it to end like that, but it kind of did, so... whatever~**

**Sorry for the sudden transition into second grade, but I've got this story all mapped out, and theres gonna be about 5-6 chapters in every grade.**

**THANKS FOR READING**

**Review please!**


	7. The Aquarium

**November 25, The Aquarium:**

"Woah! That's a big turtle!" Lucy exclaimed.

"I think I saw a seahorse over here!" Katie cried.

"I can't find all the fish in this tank! Katie, Lucy, come and help me!" Megan yelled.

Their class had taken a field trip to the aquarium, and they had split up into two groups. Lucy was with her friends, and they were about to head into the tropics zone.

"There's big eels in this tank! I wonder if they're electric..."

Unfortunately, Natsu was in her group too.

"Alright class, we've spent enough time here. Let's get moving. Remember, it's going to be very hot in there, so take off your jackets and such!" Ms. Roberts said. They had two parent volunteers with the other group, so Lucy got Ms. Roberts.

The class followed Ms. Roberts in and spread out a bit.

In the center of the room was a gigantic fish tank with humongous fish in it.

The room was circular, but the left path was barred off so you'd have to do a full circle.

Natsu immediately ran over to the box of cockroaches.

Lucy made a face and ran over to the fruit bats.

The class quickly moved forward, deeming the fruit bats cockroaches, and gigantic fish uninteresting.

Ms. Roberts held open the door while everyone entered the next area, which happened to be a wooden walkway through a small jungle of sorts, with trees everywhere, small ponds underneath the walkway, and the air thick with moisture.

Lucy and her friends stopped at the first part, where there was two blue macaws sitting on a branch overhanging a pond.

A bright pink ibis turned to stare at the trio before going back to it's own little world.

Lucy was just about to move on when a butterfly caught her eye.

It was bright blue, and she was awestruck.

She leaned heavily on the railing, feet off the floor, carefully balanced, trying to look closer.

Suddenly, something bumped into her from behind.

And Lucy went toppling into the pond.

Lucy wasn't quite sure what was happening, but she was wet and sore, so whatever was happening couldn't be good.

She looked around, and met eyes with the ibis.

"I... I don't suppose you'll just let me sit here, will you?" Lucy politely asked.

_peck_

"OW!"

_peck_

_peck_

"That hurts!" Lucy squealed, trying to shove off the ibis.

"Lucy, are you alright?!" Ms. Roberts voice reached her ears.

"There's a bird trying to peck my eyes out!"

"Hey, there's a sloth above Lucy!"

Lucy's eyes bulged at Natsu's yell, and looked up, even though the bird was still poking her.

Huh.

There really was a sloth, lolling on the ceiling, almost directly above her.

Somewhat closer to her however, there was an idiot called Natsu doing the same thing she had been doing when she fell in.

Leaning drastically over the railing, Natsu was smiling and laughing, which made Lucy really want to hit him.

_peck_

"OW! You've made your point, go away!" Lucy stood up, soaked from her fall into the pond.

_SPLASH_

Lucy squeaked as she was showered in pond water.

"Aw, crap! Hey, Luce! I fell in too!" Natsu grinned.

"Well maybe you shouldn't have leaned over the railing so far." Lucy chided him.

"Sorry, sorry. Hey, what's the deal with that bird?"

Lucy blinked, and winced at another peck.

"It's an _ibis,_ not 'that bird'. And it's mad at me because I fell in here."

"Why isn't it mad at me?"

"Because- actually, that's a good question... Maybe because of your pink hair, it thinks you're an ibis too?" Lucy suggested.

Natsu pouted.

"Whatever, let's just wait for help." Lucy sighed and sat down.

_peck_

_peck_

_peck_

_peck_

_peck_

_peck_

_peck_

_peck_

_peck_

_peck_

"We're here with help!"

"THANK YOU SO MUCH!" Lucy cried in relief.

**November 25, the Aquarium:**

Lucy shivered and wrapped her towel around her more firmly.

"That's creepy." Katie commented.

"It's a crocodile, what did you expect?" Lucy grumpily said.

"Actually, it's a cayman. Crocodiles are much bigger, and much scarier." Ms. Roberts explained.

Lucy and Katie nodded wordlessly, both thinking the same thing.

_It's a crocodile._

"If I throw it some food, will it move?" Natsu asked, eyes sparkling.

"You're not allowed to feed the animals, Natsu. We've been over this. At the beluga tank, and the porpoise tank, at the fish tank, and now here. NO." Ms. Roberts scolded Natsu.

Natsu sunk into pouting mode.

Lucy sighed and watched the crocodile.

For a second she could've sworn it was looking back at her, but then it's eyes got all glassy again and the moment was gone.

"Well, how was your day at the aquarium?" Ms. Roberts asked the girls and Natsu.

"It was very interesting." Katie smiled.

"The animals were so pretty!" Megan giggled.

"It was fine." Natsu moodily said, still pouting.

"I'm stinky, wet, grumpy, and tired..." Lucy started.

"I'm definitely coming back again."

* * *

**So, the base of the aquarium in this one was the aquarium from where I live.**

**It's actually very unlikely that someone would fall into the the pond in the tropic zone, but it's the best place to do it in my opinion.**

**All the animals I mentioned in this are in fact in the tropic zone at my aquarium.**

**THANKS FOR READING**

**Review please!**


	8. Christmas Present: Part 1

**Hey! Sorry I didn't update yesterday, but my mom's been messing around with how much time I'm allowed on the computer, and took away a full 3 hours of my computer time, and for some reason I'm not allowed on from 11-4 anymore? What's up with that?**

**Anyway, because of this lack of time, I'm going to update every other day from now on, alright?**

**Sorry~**

**Here we go~**

* * *

**December 12, Love and Lucky Elementary, the Lunch Room:**

"I'll be right back, I just have to throw this away." Lucy assured her friends as she carefully got out of her seat on the bench.

The lunch room was big, about twice the size of Lucy's classroom.

There were three huge lunch tables, lined with benches, and if you wanted a good seat, (as in one that wasn't gross and sticky) you had to run for it. The general chatter was so loud that you had to yell to be heard over it, which of course made everyone else louder.

Lucy grabbed her candy bar wrapper and walked over to the garbage can. she dropped in the wrapper and turned around, only to crash into something.

Lucy stumbled back, and once her vision re-focused, figured out that 'something' was a boy her age, who looked rather irritated she had crashed into him.

the silence held for a moment.

"Ah! Lucy, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." the boy suddenly lost his irritated look and stepped closer to her.

"Uh... who are you?" Lucy frowned.

...

"Um, surely you've heard of me by now..." the boy seemed to be scrambling for some recognition from Lucy.

"Nope."

"My name's Loki! Does that help?"

"...Loki? I've heard that somewhere..." Lucy screwed her eyes shut, trying to remember.

"Yes! Maybe you heard it from a friend of yours?" Loki smiled charmingly now, teeth sparkling.

Lucy looked over at Katie and Megan.

Katie was calmly picking at her lunch.

Megan was staring at Loki, jaw hanging open, eyes bulging.

Oh.

That's where she'd heard about Loki.

"I know! My friend Megan was going on and on about how you were her prince charming and the perfect boy and everything!" Lucy exclaimed.

Loki glowed with the compliments, and smoothly said, "Well, your friend Megan has very good taste."

"Su~re she does." Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I would like to get back to my lunch now, so..." Lucy started to move around Loki.

"Lucy, wait! I have something for you." Loki smiled his blinding smile again, and the full glare of it caught Lucy in the eyes.

Lucy squinted and replied, "What do you have?"

Loki put a hand into his pocket, and pulled out a necklace.

It was more of a locket, really, and it was shaped like a heart.

Lucy's jaw dropped.

"That's... that's for ME?" she shrieked.

"Yep. Think of it as a really early christmas present." Loki handed her the gorgeous locket and flashed her one last smile before ambling away.

Lucy went very quiet, holding her locket.

Suddenly her face split into a ginormous grin.

Her first real necklace.

She HAD to go tell Megan and Katie about this.

* * *

**December 12, Love and Lucky Elementary, the Lunch Room, 5 minutes ago:**

Natsu munched happily on his sandwich, almost ready to move onto his next course.

A flash of golden blonde caught his eye, and his already great mood improved.

Only two people had the colour hair.

Lucy, and her mom.

He spun on his bench, searching out Lucy amongst the crowd.

Oh!

There she was, by the trash can...

Talking to Loki?!

Loki, in Natsu's opinion, was a very odd person.

He had multiple 'girlfriends' and hardly ever hung out with the guys. He was definitely a weirdo. Almost as weird as Luce.

So what was he doing talking to Luce? Was it a weirdo convention?

Lucy started to walk past Loki, only for Loki to say something.

After a few more seconds of talking that Natsu couldn't hear, Loki handed Lucy something and then walked away.

Lucy held something up to her face, and Natsu had to squint to see it clearly.

It was a golden locket.

It might have been circular, it might have been a heart, Natsu couldn't tell.

All he knew was that something weird was happening, and he didn't like it.

* * *

**December 15, Love and Lucky Elementary, Recess:**

"Isn't Loki the greatest? He actually invited me to sit with him at lunch yesterday. I mean, ME! And when I made him that drawing in art class, he actually kept it and told me it was awesome! He's just... PERFECT!" Lucy squealed.

Yes, Lucy.

Three days ago, Loki had given her a necklace.

Two days ago, he had asked her to be his girlfriend.

Yesterday, Megan had stopped talking about how amazing Loki was.

Yesterday, Lucy had started talking about how amazing Loki was.

"And I still can't believe he got me a necklace- I mean, how much money would that have cost?!" Lucy fingered the locket.

"Hey Luce!" Natsu ran up, holding a soccer ball under his arm.

"Not Now Natsu, I'm busy. Did I mention how much he tells me I'm pretty?! And he even called me beautiful a few times! I mean, he's just so sweet!"

"Hey Luce?"

"He's just the perfect boyfriend! He never laughs at me, and-"

"LUCE!"

"I said NOT NOW Natsu!" Lucy whirled on Natsu, grabbed his soccer ball from him, and threw it behind him.

Natsu's jaw dropped, and he ran off after it.

"Well, now that he's gone, let's get back to talking about Loki!"

* * *

**December 16, Love and Lucky Elementary, Recess:**

Natsu furiously glared at Lucy's back.

There she was, sitting with her little friends, just talking about Loki, Loki, Loki.

Once upon a time, all she talked about was how annoying HE was!

Now, Natsu didn't like Lucy, but he enjoyed annoying her, and Loki was preventing him from doing that.

Yesterday, when he had tried to annoy her, she had completely gotten rid of him, not even really talking to him!

Something had to be done.

"Um, Natsu...?" Bob nervously tapped his shoulder. (for those who don't remember, Bob was in Lucy and Natsu's grade one class, at their table.)

"Yeah?"

"You're being really creepy, glaring at Lucy like that..."

"Whatever, go away."

"O-Okay." Bob ran away, rather like a rabbit scared by a sudden noise.

Natsu returned to his glowering and plotting.

How could he get Lucy's attention off Loki?

* * *

**Well, any suggestions for Natsu?**

**I already have a solution, but if someone gives me a better one, I might use it.**

**And I know that they're grade twos, and it's a bit weird for them to be dating, but it makes for a good situation, no?**

**THANKS FOR READING**

**Review please!**


	9. Christmas Present: Part 2

**Love and Lucky Elementary, December 17, the Lunchroom:**

Natsu grinned.

Everything was going according to plan.

**Love and Lucky Elementary, December 17, the Lunchroom:**

Lucy smiled at Loki and sat down on the bench beside him, ignoring her friends waving at her.

"Hi Loki!"

"Hey, Lucy. What's up?"

"Uh... the ceiling?"

Loki burst out laughing.

"No, I didn't mean it literally-"

"LOKI!"

Lucy turned to see another girl, her age, stomping over to them. The girl had long, wavy, light green hair, pretty brown eyes, pale skin, and was wearing what Lucy had to assume was designer clothing, almost as fancy as her own.

Curious, she watched Loki pale significantly, almost dropping his lunch as the girl got closer.

"H-Hey there... Karen..." Loki nervously said, as Karen crossed her arms.

Lucy stared at Loki.

How did he know this girl?

"Loki! I cannot believe you! I thought _I _was your girlfriend! Who's this little girl? Hmph! She's not even that pretty!" Karen fumed, stomping her foot.

"WHAT?! Loki! You have another girlfriend!?" Lucy shrieked.

"G-Girls, I can explain...J-just calm down..." Loki gritted his teeth, clearly unhappy about the situation.

"SHUT UP, PRETTY BOY!" Karen screamed, grabbing something from her purse.

Lucy instinctively dove out of the way as Karen pointed the miscellaneous object at Loki, and a hissing noise emitted from the object.

Lucy turned to get a clear view of the situation, and found Loki clutching his face, hiding his eyes and screeching. Karen turned to Lucy, the object- which Lucy could now see was _pepper spray-_ still held at eye-level.

"DON'T-"

And then Karen applied pressure to the can, and a furious burning sensation entered her eyes.

Lucy wailed in pain, tears streaming from her red eyes.

"Ow! Ow, make it stop!" Lucy cried, and she could hear shouting all around her, though she was currently blind.

Lucy stumbled around a bit, trying to regain her bearings, when someone grabbed her arm and pulled her forward.

"Wha-" Lucy managed, before something hard connected with her head and she lost consciousness.

**Love and Lucky Elementary, December 17, the Lunchroom:**

Natsu grinned excitedly from his seat as Karen- who he had told that Loki was cheating on her- stomped her way over to Loki.

Now Lucy would see that Loki was just a stupid little prick who needed to be dumped, and she would start letting him annoy her again!

He was too far away to hear what they were saying, but when Karen yelled, he heard it.

"SHUT UP, PRETTY BOY!" Karen reached into her sparkly white purse, pulling out something Natsu immediately recognized- pepper spray.

Natsu started laughing as Loki got sprayed, but shut up when Karen turned to Lucy.

She wouldn't- No, she wouldn't dare- But-

And then Karen sprayed Lucy.

Lucy shrieked, covering her eyes, sobbing noises already pouring from her throat.

Natsu dropped his lunch.

"KAREN!" He yelled, fumbling out of his seat as fast as he could go, darting through the curious crowds to get to the source of the drama.

He could still hear Lucy's sobs and wails through the crowd, which only inspired him to go faster.

Finally he reached her, and gave Karen a furious glare.

Karen cringed a bit, knowing that she had crossed the line by spraying Lucy too.

Natsu grabbed Lucy's forearm and pulled her back through the crowds, heading in the general direction of where he knew the nurse's office was.

"Wha-" BANG.

Natsu faltered in his step, turning to find Lucy had fainted after he had taken a corner too sharply and let her hit the corner of the wall.

"Uh oh..." he mumbled.

Lucy would kill him for this...

...once she wakes up.

**Love and Lucky Elementary, December 17, The Nurse's office**:

Lucy woke up.

A chill shot through her, resonating from the top of her head.

She tried to open her eyes, only to feel as if someone had not only blowtorched her eye, but magically changed the weight of each of her long eyelashes to weigh 100 pounds.

A flash of panic shot through her.

Was she blind? Had Karen sprayed so much pepper into her eyes that she's never be able to see again?

"Luce?"

Huh?

"Natsu?! Why are you here?" Lucy shouted, sure that only one person had ever called her Luce.

"I'm not Natsu!"

"Yeah, right!" Lucy huffed, really not in the mood for Natsu's antics.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are t- you know what, fine. You're not Natsu. Who are you, mysterious stranger?" Lucy drawled.

"I'm the Easter Bunny!"

...

...

...

"...what?" Lucy finally responded.

"I said, I'm the Easter Bunny! Geez Luce, you really can be an idiot sometimes..."

"I'M NOT AN IDIOT! Natsu, I know that's you! Can you _please _explain to me why I'm so cold, why my head hurts, why _you _are here, and why I _fainted?!"_

"...Fine... But only 'cause you said please. Uh... Can you ask me questions one at a time?" Natsu asked.

Lucy sighed, "Alright. Where am I?"

"Nurse's office."

"... Why are you here?"

"I took you here, because I'm such an awesomely caring and kind person." Natsu said smugly.

Lucy could already imagine him puffing out his chest proudly, arrogant expression on his face.

Ugh.

"So, why did I faint?"

... no response.

"Natsu?"

"Uh... w-well, you may or may not have crashed into a wall as I was carrying you here- which no doubt reminds you of what an awesomely-amazingly-caring-kind-friendly person I am- and you may or may not have passed out from that crash..."

"So... you let me crash into a wall?" Lucy felt her rage growing already.

"M-Maybe. Remember, this _may _or _may NOT _have happened."

"NATSU-!" Lucy screamed.

"IT WAS ALL HAPPY'S FAULT!" Natsu screamed as Lucy haphazardly tried to sit up and get out of her bed while still not being able to see anything.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU WHEN I CAN SEE AGAIN!" Lucy screamed, giving up on getting out of bed and just flopping back onto her pillow, suddenly realizing that an ice pack was on her head.

A slamming of doors was all that told her that Natsu was gone.

Lucy sighed, but let herself truly contemplate all that had happened now that she was alone.

Loki had never truly been her boyfriend in the first place... Karen had said she wasn't pretty... and shockingly, Natsu had been the hero.

Lucy stopped at that.

Hero? Where had that notion come from?

Natsu was far from a hero, he was annoying, infuriating, maddening, and Lucy's archenemy.

And yet.. today, he had been surprisingly kind, even though he had accidentally made Lucy faint.

Lucy pictured Natsu, his bright pink hair springing to life in her mind's eye.

Hmm... maybe, just maybe, Natsu wasn't quite so bad after all.

Lucy smiled, enjoying the quiet.

And then the door creaked open again.

"Hello?" Lucy called, her voice unnervingly loud in the silence.

"Uh, Luce? I kinda forgot to tell you this, but seeing as you're so mad already, I think I should just tell you now... Happy told Karen that Loki was cheating, so it's all Happy's fault that you got pepper-sprayed. Bye!" Natsu hurriedly said, before the door slammed again.

Lucy's smile held for a moment, before her rage overtook her features.

"FLAME-BRAIN! I WILL DESTROY YOU!"

* * *

**UH... I really don't have an excuse for not updating...**

**except, wait, I DO!**

**So high school started, and there were volleyball tryouts, and new classes, and a whole bunch of stuff that I don't feel I should have to tell you about, and I'm soooooooooooo sorry.**

**Bye!**


	10. Sleepovers and Thievery

**March 12, The Heartfilia Estate:**

"Ms. Lucy! Your friend is here!" Spetto called.

Lucy looked up so quickly, her neck cracked a bit.

Scrambling up from her toys, she raced to the front door.

And there, with a bulging backpack and wearing a bright pink dress, was Megan.

"Megan! You're here!" Lucy cried excitedly, zipping down the stairs.

"Lucy! This is so exciting! Our first sleepover!" Megan squealed, her enthusiasm outmatching Lucy's.

"It's too bad Katie couldn't come though..." Lucy sighed, before perking up again.

"Come on to my room! We'll set you up!" Lucy said, smiling widely.

"Yeah!" Megan yelled, pumping her fist in the air.

Spetto watched in amusement as the little girls ran up the stairs.

Lucy thrust open the doors to her room, almost tripping on the slick marble floor.

Polite as ever, Lucy held open the door for Megan, who promptly dumped her heavy backpack on the floor.

"Where should I sleep?" Megan asked, starting to unzip her backpack.

"Well, I was thinking we could both sleep in sleeping bags, on the floor!" Lucy cheered, even as Megan glanced toward Lucy's king-sized princess bed.

Megan frowned, "Won't that be hard on our backs?"

"We'll have mattresses, of course. Or, we could sleep in my bed..." Lucy suggested, noticing Megan's obvious looks toward her bed.

"How about we sleep in your bed? I didn't bring a sleeping bag anyway..." Megan hastily added, starting to pull out some stuffies after sifting around in her backpack for a bit.

"Oh, okay!" Lucy said, beaming again.

Megan picked up all her stuffies -which noticeably included a pink-and-blue dolphin, a brilliant neon pink cat, and a soft-looking blue dog of sorts- and hurried over to Lucy's bed, dumping them on before she could drop one.

Sorting out her stuffies among Lucy's many, Megan glanced back at Lucy, who was slightly awkwardly standing around.

"What do you want to play first?"

Lucy brightened again, and said, "How about we bake some cookies? My momma said she'd help us!"

"Sure! That sounds totally awesome!"

**One plate of burnt cookies, One quick bath to remove the remnants of a failed batch, and One dinner (of pizza) later:**

"Let's watch a movie!" Lucy suggested, to which Megan quickly agreed.

"What movies do you have?" Megan asked as the girls scrambled off Lucy's comfy bed and headed to the living room.

Lucy shrugged, "What do you want to watch?"

Megan thought for a moment, then responded, "How about... uh, what do you think?"

Lucy thought for a moment.

"Let's go ask my momma, she'll have a good suggestion!" Lucy replied, already running towards the kitchen. (where Layla was helping with the clean-up of the kitchen)

Megan opened her mouth to say something, but just closed it again after Lucy ran off.

With a exasperated sigh, she followed Lucy.

**One movie suggestion and One movie later:**

Megan and Lucy raced to the bathroom, seeing who would go first well the other got into their pyjamas.

Megan got there first, so Lucy went to her closet and pulled out her soft pink nightgown.

Megan was taking a while, so Lucy changed and flopped onto her bed, her mind drifting away.

"Lucy! I'm done!" Megan called, and Lucy sat up quickly.

"Sorry! I was spacing out!"

Megan giggled, "It's okay. Just go brush your teeth."

Lucy felt a bit insulted by that, though she wasn't quite sure why, so she just pouted a bit and went to brush her teeth.

After she was done, she came out and found Megan rifting through her closet.

"Why're you looking at my clothes, Megan?" Lucy asked.

Megan spun on her heel, blushing a bit.

"Sorry! But you just left the door open and I was curious, and-"

Lucy giggled, "It's alright, really. Hey, you wanna see something cool?"

Megan smiled widely in excitement, and nodded repeatedly.

Lucy approached, and opened her closet door wider.

Lucy had a walk-in closet, and lots and lots of clothes in there, the majority of it bright pink.

Heading to her dresser, she opened up the bottom door and heaved out a small safe, about the size of a small dog.

Megan watched in awe as Lucy set the safe down and carefully punched some numbers into the keypad, which beeped every time she pressed a button.

_'72-88-13-26'_

"What's in there?" Megan tentatively asked as Lucy hesitated to open the door to the safe.

Lucy turned to look at Megan, hand still resting on the now unlocked door of the safe.

She fixed Megan with a intense look, and slowly took opened the door.

Megan gasped as the beautiful diamond crown Lucy had worn for halloween was unveiled, along with several other precious gems and priceless objects.

"Sorry, my momma always taught me to do that with a dramatic pause." Lucy explained, sheepishly fiddling with her hair as Megan stared at the gems and tiaras and other small treasures in the safe.

"I-Is this a-all _yours?_" Megan asked, almost breathless.

"Yep. Most of it is from halloween costumes. It's not like we could throw them out, right? So Papa bought me the safe to keep them.. well, safe."

Megan nodded, mouth still hanging open.

"Anyway, we should probably go to bed. We can look at these more in the morning, or something." Lucy said, closing the safe and tucking it back in it's spot in the closet.

Megan had taken the time Lucy was gone to re-adjust, and when Lucy came back, she was almost normal again.

"Well, let's go to bed?" Lucy said, nudging Megan when she didn't respond.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah! Totally!"

The two girls tucked themselves in bed, Megan constantly looking at the closet in partial awe, and almost anticipation.

Lucy hugged her favourite stuffy (though she would never admit it was her favourite, as that would hurt her other stuffies feelings) closer to her, casting an uncertain look at Megan.

Soon however, both girls slipped into sleep, Megan almost immediately, Lucy a while after.

**1:54 am, March 13, The Heartfilia Estate, Lucy's room:**

Lucy blinked her eyes open, even though almost immediately a wave of sleep washed over her.

She almost dropped back to sleep when she realized a strange beeping sound was echoing around her room.

She wearily sat up, her sleepiness set aside.

Megan wasn't in bed.

"Megan?" Lucy called, fear starting to grip her.

The beeping continued, maybe a bit faster.

Lucy clutched her stuffy and bit her lip, eventually slipping out of bed, but almost as soon as her feet touched the cold stone floor, the beeping stopped.

Lucy looked around her room, noticing the closet door was closed.

She didn't remember closing it.

"M-Megan?" she called once more, creeping towards her bedroom door, practically squeezing the stuffing out of her stuffy.

Finally she reached her bedroom door, and she flicked on the lights.

Black dots danced across her vision, and she had to blink several thousand times before she could see.

Finally she regained her full vision, and the closet door was open.

Yet no one was in the room, except her.

Her fear overcoming her, the creepiness fully set in, and Lucy dashed out of her room, ignoring the fact that somehow her bedroom door was now open, even though she hadn't opened it.

"Momma! Papa! Spetto! Megan!" She called, her fear telling her to scream, her manners telling her to be quiet because people were sleeping.

The clattering of someone racing down the stairs attracted Lucy's attention, and she skidded to a halt, squinting to see someone pulling on shoes and carrying a large pack.

"_Megan?!"_ she shrieked, racing down the stairs.

Megan finished pulling on her shoes, and though she momentarily froze when Lucy started heading towards her at top speed, she dashed out the door as fast as she could.

The door slammed shut behind her, but not before something fell out of Megan's partially open backpack.

Lucy stood there in the dark, aghast that her friend had simply left in the middle of the night.

She slowly opened the door, ignoring whatever Megan had dropped so far.

The night was incredibly dark, but a small smudge in the dark clearly indicated Megan was running off into the night.

Suddenly some lights flickered on in the dark, and Lucy realized that Megan was running towards a small, old car.

"Oh! Maybe she couldn't sleep and decided to go home..." Lucy muttered, crestfallen that Megan hadn't even woken her up to tell her that.

Lucy closed the door, before noticing the thing on the floor and remembering the creepy events leading up to this.

Lucy hurriedly ran to the wall and flicked on the lights, and once again, black dots danced across her vision.

Lucy squinted, and bent down to pick up what appeared to be-

A beautiful,

perfectly cut,

shining,

heart-shaped,

glimmering _ruby_.

Lucy gasped.

NO!

Megan couldn't have-

Lucy was running before she even realized it, back to her room in record time, ruby still clutched in hand.

The lights were still on, so she just zipped right into her closet, where her dresser had been opened.

And her safe little safe was sitting on the floor of the room, door wide open,

empty of every single gem and jewel that had been in there.

Lucy fell to her knees.

No way.

Megan had stole her gems.

**March 13, The Heartfilia Estate:**

"Lucy..." Layla gasped in horror as her daughter cried in her lap.

"Are you sure?" she had to ask, though she knew that Lucy wouldn't be this distraught if she wasn't sure.

"M-Megan took them all, except this r-ruby, and that's only cause she d-dropped it!" Lucy wailed, waving her ruby around in front of Layla's face.

Layla fell silent, letting her daughter calm down and thinking this through.

Clearly, Megan had only been hanging out with Lucy because she was hoping to steal some money from her. That, at least, was clear. But looking at Lucy now, Layla didn't think she could handle it.

Another problem is that if Jude found out about this, he'd go ballistic, ordering a full investigation, persecuting Megan and her family, probably getting them all sent to prison, or wherever he could send them. He'd probably also blame Lucy, or maybe her staff, for not being more vigilant. Either way, Layla was fairly certain that Megan came from a poor family, and maybe her father or mother had ordered her to steal them. Layla would have to investigate that personally, keep Jude and Lucy out of it.

Layla bit her lip nervously, wondering if she could get away with this.

"Lucy... do you think we could keep quiet and pretend this didn't happen? Not even Papa, or Spetto can know. Much less any of your friends. I'm not asking you to be friends with Megan, in fact you should probably avoid her, but if your father or anyone else finds out about this, there will be a lot of trouble for you, Megan, and Megan's family. Those gems were expensive, of course, but honestly Lucy, they aren't worth enough for your father to be told about this. Alright?"

Layla was lying of course, those gems were incredibly precious, but she'd get them back herself.

Lucy didn't need to get anymore involved.

Lucy wiped her eyes.

"Yes, momma. I'll keep quiet."

"Now, you can stay home today, but you'll have to go back to school tomorrow. Do you want to go take a nap?" Layla gently suggested.

Lucy nodded sleepily, suddenly beaming at her momma.

"Momma, don't you think that when this ruby hits the light, it get's really pink, like Natsu's hair?" Lucy demonstrated, holding the gem up so the ceiling light shone through it.

It turned a pretty shade of pink.

Layla giggled, "Maybe we could turn it into a necklace for you, Lucy. It is very pretty."

Lucy nodded, her face turning sleepy again, but that twinkly was still in her eyes.

"Really pretty, momma."

* * *

**So no Natsu this chapter- **

**but things still got kind of intense.**

**So yeah, Megan stole Lucy's jewels, and Layla's going to take care of it herself.**

**Next chapter will be Grade 3! 3! Yay! Something sort of big will happen next chapter too, but not this big _**

**Please Review!**

**THANKS FOR READING**

**(and Natsu will, indeed, be back next chapter. So will Megan, if anyone cares -_-)**


	11. Well, that Just Happened

_**March 15, Love and Lucky Elementary:**_

_(flashback)_

_Lucy took a deep breath and stepped into the classroom._

_And came face-to-face with Megan._

_"Megan-!" Lucy tried desperately to sound happy to see her._

_Megan gaped at her a little, but finally found her voice._

_"Lucy."_

_And then Megan walked past her, bumping Lucy along the way._

_Lucy slumped a little._

_Megan had never used that clipped tone with her before._

_"Megan! Wait!"_

_"What, Lucy? I'm not your friend." Megan snapped, her tone turning harsh._

_"I-I know that! You were faking, right?" Lucy said, fidgeting with her hair._

_"Yes. Why would I ever want to be your friend?" Megan sneered at Lucy._

_Lucy shuffled her feet, trying to get used to the new, mean, Megan._

_"B-But all those times, when you were laughing, and we were playing together and having fun... you didn't just fake that, right?"_

_Megan hesitated, and a flash of uncertainty entered her tone as she replied, "I-I was faking the whole time."_

_Lucy felt herself tearing up, but she just took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second._

_When she opened her eyes again, she was wearing her condescending look. It didn't work on Natsu, but Megan's eyes widened and she stepped back a bit._

_"Fine. I sever our friendship, Megan Pheeb. I now fully consider you my enemy." Lucy said, in the tone her private tutor was already teaching her for business deals._

_Megan blinked, and Lucy could've sworn her eyes got watery for a second before they hardened and she responded, _

_"Goodbye, Lucy Heartfilia."_

**GRADE THREE**

**September 4, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

Lucy looked around her new class.

Megan was here.

Ever since that encounter at school, their relationship had deteriorated to the point that Lucy made a stink-face ever time she saw her.

...Katie wasn't here.

Ever since Megan and Lucy had 'broken up', Katie had been Lucy's closest friend. Lucy wasn't sure how she was going to survive without her.

And Natsu was here too... Lucy really needed to expand her social circle.

The only kids she knew were:

A really mean girl she was enemies with.

A really annoying boy who like to mess with her.

And a missing girl.

...Lucy sighed and turned around, feeling slightly depressed.

"Hello class, welcome to grade three. Good job on making it this far." Their teacher announced.

Lucy shuddered.

There were stories about the teacher she had.

Ms. D.

No one knew what her real last name was, everyone just called her Ms. D. Someone had once told Lucy that the D stood for devil.

Some people said she was really a demon, some people said she was incredibly scary. Some said she would punish you for no reason, and picked on certain kids especially.

"We're going to be having a review of math, starting with some fractions."

Who knew what that ordinary appearance (long platinum blonde hair, pale skin, kind eyes) were hiding?

An hour and twenty five minutes later, Lucy hurried out of class for recess.

Time to find Katie.

She travelled to the other grade three class just down the hall, but Katie wasn't coming out.

Lucy frowned.

Thinking back, she hadn't heard anything about Katie all summer.

There was one more grade three class, all the way up on the third floor, and Lucy sighed.

Everything was just so complicated right now... momma said that the stress was getting to her...

Lucy really needed to escape.

But first, Katie.

Lucy really didn't want to go up to the third floor, so instead she headed for the office.

Inside, a really tall girl (who claimed to be a grade seven, but looked more like a grade ten to Lucy) greeted her.

"Um, I can't find my friend anywhere... Her name is Katie Smith, she's in grade three...?" Lucy trailed off as the grade-seven-but-probably-really-a-tenth-grader frowned.

"Are you sure you've looked everywhere?"

"W-Well, uh, sure I did!" Lucy awkwardly chuckled, knowing her lie was terrible.

The seventh (tenth) grader raised an eyebrow.

Lucy gulped, sure she was caught for lying.

The seventh grader raised a hand, and then patted Lucy's shoulder.

"Don't worry! We'll definitely find your friend!" The girl smiled.

Lucy sheepishly smiled back, internally gaping at the girl's trust.

Lucy felt a rush of guilt, but swallowed it as the girl talked to the secretary for a second before going _behind the office desk._

There was no barrier to stop anyone from going past the office desk, but there was some sort of invisible line that made even the biggest troublemakers hesitate.

Lucy watched in awe as the girl disappeared from view for a second, and then her voice came from over the PA:

**"Katie Smith, please report to the office, once again, Katie Smith to the office."**

The secretary, Miss Erika, smiled at Lucy and told her to wait on the bench.

Lucy nodded obediently and waited for Katie.

She didn't show up.

A girl came in who had lost her tooth.

Katie still didn't show up.

A boy with a horribly bleeding elbow came in.

Katie didn't show up.

Lucy's teacher came in and said hello.

Katie didn't show up, and Lucy had to say hello back.

The bell rang to signal recess was over, and Katie hadn't shown up.

The grade seven ushered Lucy back to class, telling her that Miss Erika will try and find her.

Lucy pouted but entered her classroom anyway.

Lucy sat moodily at her desk during class, doing the work but not really paying attention to even what subject they were starting on.

Finally Ms. D let them go for lunch, leading them to the lunch room.

Being a grade three, Lucy now got to eat in a different area then the grade two's and one's. It was... interesting, she guessed? It was a bit quiter but also louder, depending on where you were sitting. The room was darker and all the tables were the same colour, a sort of bland orange. In her old lunchroom, two of the tables had been bland orange, one white, and one dark brown.

Lucy ate her lunch quietly, pressed uncomfortably between two girls who were chatting with each other and occasionally attempting to engage Lucy in conversation.

Lucy didn't respond, as she was much too wrapped up in looking for Katie amongst the crowds.

Once the first bell rang to let everyone know they were allowed to go outside, Lucy finished her sandwich in quick bites and ran to the office.

She met the same seventh grade girl there, who looked much more irritated this time.

"Hello. Did you find Katie yet?" Lucy asked, looking up at her.

The girl frowned at her.

"Katie Smith? Oh, yeah, turns out she moved away. Sorry."

Lucy stared at the girl, eyes wide.

"K-Katie moved away? B-But... she didn't tell me..." Lucy whimpered.

The girl grimaced and knelt down so she was only a little taller than Lucy.

"Um, I'm sorry sweetie... do you want a candy or something?"

Lucy nodded, still on the verge of tears.

The girl looked relieved and pulled one from her pocket.

Lucy slowly unravelled it and popped it in her mouth.

It was caramel.

Yum.

After eating it, Lucy felt a bit better, but still very upset.

Her friend had moved away.

She was gone.

Lucy spun on her heel, squishing the wrapper in her clenched fist. She ran out of the office, back into the main building, dashed up the stairs, and reached the third floor.

There, perfectly unguarded, was the trapdoor to the roof.

Lucy felt like she was about to start sobbing, and she really wanted to be alone. She puled up the desk, plopped the chair on top of it, and heaved herself up.

She closed the trapdoor behind her, and sat in the middle of the roof.

Lucy sobbed.

And sobbed...

and sobbed...

and sobbed.

Until she just couldn't sob anymore.

Lucy blinked her stinging eyes, and wiped the tear-marks off her face.

She warily looked over the edge of the roof, terrified of falling.

Oh! It's still lunch, she thought, relieved.

Then she frowned and squinted.

Oh...

Those were parents down there.

School was over.

Lucy scrambled back from the edge of the roof and freaked out a bit.

She hadn't ever skipped school! This was delinquency! She was going to be in so much trouble! Momma and Papa would be furious! Ms. D would devour her soul!

Lucy made a high-pitched noise that she didn't quite recognize, having never made it before.

She opened the trapdoor and realized someone had removed the table and chair from where she had put them.

Crap.

Lucy thought about it for a minute.

It wasn't that far down.

She could jump.

So that was why Lucy was now clutching her sprained left ankle and trying not to make too much noise.

She hissed as she stood up, careful not to move her ankle too much.

She grabbed onto a desk to support her and put all her weight on her right foot.

She hobbled down the stairs, and met her mother in the hall.

Her mother looked greatly surprised to see her.

"Lucy? What happened?"

"Momma, I don't want my soul to be devoured!"

"...Excuse me?"

Lucy sighed.

This. Was. Totally. The. Absolute. Worst. Day. EVER.

* * *

**well that was certainly not my best chapter...**

**Oh well, I needed to lighten the mood. (as I've already darkened it a good amount, even in this 'lighten the mood' chapter... -_-)**

**Lucy has a new worst day ever!**

**So no Natsu this chapter, but I promise he'll be back next chapter-**

**Lucy: But that's not what you had planned for the next chapter.**

**Megan: Yeah, I'm gonna be featured in the next one, remember? **

**...okay, I promise that Natsu will not disappear from this story! And that Megan will be in the next chapter!**

**Also, Katie will never re-enter this story. She was just a side character-**

**Lucy: WHAT?!**

**...sorry... *pouts***

**DISCLAIMER: I always forget to do these, so let me just say that no matter what I do not own Fairy tail, only this story!**

**THANKS FOR READING**

**Review please!**


	12. The Reading List

**September 28, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

Lucy took out a pink pencil crayon and wrote in her best printing: _Lucy's Reading List!_

"Now whenever you finish a book, I want you too write the title of the book and the date you finished it on your reading list." Ms. D instructed.

Lucy stood up from her chair and handed her list to Ms. D.

Ms. D thanked her and put in on the pile of reading lists she already had.

Lucy smiled and sat back at her desk, pulled out a book, and started reading.

**September 29, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

Lucy closed her book with a happy sigh.

It had been a very good book, after all.

Lucy stood up and pulled a random pencil crayon from her desk.

She walked over to the bookshelf and put away her finished book, and then turned to the now-hung-up reading lists.

She walked along the row of reading lists until she found hers, and in shaky writing, (she wasn't used to writing with her paper pasted on the wall) wrote: _Charlotte's Web, September 29th._

Lucy smiled at the list, proud to see that she was the only kid in her class who had a book under their name.

_scritch scritch_

Lucy turned in surprise at the noise and found that Megan was writing the title of a book under her name as well.

Megan looked up and gave Lucy a superior look, a small but smug smile dancing across her lips.

Lucy snapped her pencil crayon.

_No one beats Lucy Heartfilia at reading a book._

**September 30, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

Lucy scanned the page, skimming the 'unnecessary' details and picking out the important bits.

Yes! Done. There was no way Megan could have finished a whole new book in a day, like Lucy just did-

Megan was getting up from her chair, holding a book that Lucy had observed her choosing just yesterday.

_Grr._

**October 1, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

Lucy sped through the book, her eyes occasionally flicking up to where Megan was reading her book with equal enthusiasm.

With a loud snap, she closed her now finished book, grabbed her pencil, ran up to her reading list and wrote in the title of the book and the date.

She looked at Megan's list.

Ha! She had one more now.

She'd have a lead on the next book.

Lucy went to go put her book away, picking out a new one that looked reasonably sized and reasonably interesting, but not very challenging.

She hurried back to her seat just as Megan rose from her own seat, and Lucy began to read.

**October 17, Love and Lucky Elementary:**

Lucy smiled widely.

She was two books ahead of Megan.

"Hey, _Luce!"_

Oh no.

He hadn't bothered her once this entire time in grade three, why would he suddenly want to annoy her NOW?! He was going to ruin EVERYTHING!

"You were in this class?! I didn't even notice!"

Lucy's jaw dropped.

"Seriously?!" She turned to face Natsu.

Natsu grinned at her, his eyes sparkling excitedly.

"Yeah! Hey, whatcha reading?" Natsu grabbed Lucy's book out of her hands and tried read the title.

Before he could, Lucy snatched the book back out of his hands and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Go away Flame-brain, what I'm reading is none of your business. I'm just trying to beat that horrid Megan with how many books I've read..." Lucy sent a furious glare in Megan's direction.

Megan noticed and just rolled her eyes.

"Why?"

Lucy blinked, "Huh?"

"Why're you trying to beat her? I thought you like reading because it's 'fun', right Luce?" Natsu made quotations around the word fun, making it clear he didn't think reading was so much fun.

Lucy bit her lip.

Why was she doing this? It had started because she was mad at Megan for, well, stealing her jewels and stuff, and gotten to the point where she didn't even _read _the books, she just flipped through them and pretended to be reading. She couldn't even remember what the last few books she read were about... all that mattered was that she was beating Megan.

That wasn't right. Lucy loved reading. She loved a good book. Sure, she also loved winning, but if that meant she wasn't enjoying the books she read, it wasn't worth it.

"I-...I don't know why... but, um, thanks..." Lucy huffed, upset that she had to thank Natsu for opening her eyes.

Natsu looked at her in confusion, "Uh, you're welcome? You really are such a weirdo Luce..."

Lucy frowned.

"I am not a weirdo!"

"...right..."

"Don't roll your eyes at me, Flame-brain!"

...

"You rolled them again! Gah! I thought we were finally DONE with this-"

"Lucy, Natsu, come here right now!" Ms. D yelled.

So, things were back to normal.

Lucy was reading for fun.

Natsu was annoying Lucy.

And the teacher was getting mad at both of them.

Megan overtook Lucy with her reading list, but Lucy didn't mind quite as much as before.

She also got some new pencil crayons.

Too many of her old ones had been snapped in anger.

* * *

**So, I'm starting to get back into the swing of things.**

**Uh, with Natsu, I ended up putting him in this chapter anyway. **

**I know it's a bit unlikely that he wouldn't notice her, but then again, this IS Natsu we're talking about...**

**THANKS FOR READING**

**Please review!**


	13. The Haunted House

**October 31, Halloween, Somewhere on the Streets of Magnolia:**

Lucy pressed the doorbell nervously.

It was the first year she hadn't trick-or-treated as a princess.

And also, without any of her friends. Katie was gone, Megan was her nemesis, and Natsu-

Wait.

Natsu wasn't her friend!

So she was going with her momma instead, which was almost as fun.

The door creaked open.

"Trick-or Treat!" Lucy yelled.

The women at the door smiled warmly at Lucy.

"And what are you, sweetie?"

Lucy looked at her costume for a second, as if to reassure herself she was still actually wearing it, and replied, "I'm an angel."

Lucy was wearing a long white dress with long sleeves, and pretty golden slipper/sandal things on her feet. A golden circlet was resting gently on her equally golden hair, though there were no wings, which Lucy thought was a real problem.

Spetto had said the wings would look... what was the word she used? 'Tacky'? (That is is no way a insult to anyone who chooses to wear wings with their costume, be it angel or something else, it is just Spetto's opinion)

In Lucy's opinion, the wings were what made people look at her and immediately recognize her as an angel. Oh, and help them recognize the costume too.

"Oh, what a lovely costume. Here you go dear, take two." The lady held out a bowl of candy and Lucy snatched up a caramel and a smarties box.

Thanking the lady, she turned and ran back to her momma.

"What'd you get?" Layla asked.

"A caramel and a smarties box. Next house, next house!" Lucy cheered and ran ahead.

Layla chuckled and followed her.

Lucy noticed there were no lights on at the next house, so she skipped it.

And next was... the haunted house.

Lucy shrieked a bit just at the sight of it, almost running back to Layla.

Every year, one house would just up and decide to do a haunted house. It was immensely creepy, as no one knew who organized it, and when it wasn't halloween, no one lived in the house they used.

Lucy had never once been inside.

It was scary, and Lucy didn't exactly like anything scary, or creepy, or terrifying, or disturbing, and well, you get the picture.

"Lucy, do you want to try it this year?" Layla asked.

Lucy shook her head vigorously, and started to walk past the house.

"Luce!"

Lucy stomped her foot.

It just wasn't _fair. _

Everywhere she went, he was there, being a doofus and a flame-brain and an idiot.

"Luce, hey, you gonna go in the haunted house?" Natsu asked, now standing beside her, panting a bit from the run to catch up to her.

Lucy could hear her mother laughing softly in the background, and she flashed her a glare.

"No, uh, I just want to get some candy." Lucy glanced at Natsu's costume.

Huh. A dragon. Whoop-dee-doo. Big surprise.

"Aw, come on! It's so fun! What, are you scared?" Natsu smirked.

Lucy frowned.

"No, I just don't feel like going in."

"It's halloween, of course you feel like going in. I bet you're just chicken."

"I am not chicken!"

"Prove it!"

Lucy swallowed nervously as she stared at the haunted house.

Was it worth it?

"I... I'm a Heartfilia, and we're not scared of anything!" Lucy said proudly, thrusting her candy bag at her mother and marching up to the haunted house. The line had come from her father, but Lucy rather liked it.

It was better than:

A) I'm a Heartfilia, and we always fail at failing at failing at failing! (Lucy still didn't get that)

B) I'm a Heartfilia, and we're as wonderful as a teddy bear in a tutu! (One of her dad's more disturbing speeches)

C) I'm a Heartfilia, and we're immortal, like vampires! (Lucy had told everyone she would live forever and stayed in the shade for a whole week before her mother bothered to correct her mistake)

Anyway, Lucy marched to the door, and tried to knock, but when she tapped the door, it creaked open. Lucy hesitated for a second, then stepped inside, Natsu following a few steps behind.

The door slammed shut behind them.

Lucy whimpered.

Natsu laughed at her whimper.

Lucy ignored Natsu and looked around, though the dark was making it hard to pick out any details.

Cobwebs were strung everywhere, and unless Lucy was hallucinating, the floor of the hallway was covered in a layer of mist.

Lucy led the way, jumping at every creak and shriek that she heard.

Eventually they entered a white room.

Literally, a white room.

The walls were white, the ceiling was white, and the mist covered the ground.

In the corner, there was an empty rocking chair, but it was still rocking back and forth, which gave Lucy the shivers.

_BANG_

Lucy screamed and turned towards the noise, which was behind them.

There, with it's feet covered in the mist, was a little doll.

It had brillant red hair, and pale skin, and dark black eyes. It smiled, like it had just won the lottery or something, and it wore a pink princess gown that was ripped and torn and splattered with something dark red.

Lucy screamed and bolted into the white room, away from the creepy doll and leaving Natsu chasing after her.

They reached a set of stairs, and Lucy cautiously went up them.

The third step caved in, but Natsu had been the one to fall into the stair, so that was alright.

They reached the top of the stairs. The hallway now was lined with doors, and yellow light flickered from lights in the ceiling.

Mist still covered the floor, and the doors had number on them.

_BANG_

Lucy jumped and turned back, only to find that the creep doll was at the bottom of the stairs, smiling at them.

She imagined it saying, "_Let's play something! How about, pin the knife in the little girl? Whoever gets it closest to her heart wins!"_

She shuddered and hurried down the hallway, ignoring the doors.

"Luce, you have to check the rooms! They're one of the best bits!" Natsu called after her, gleefully peering into the first rooms keyhole.

Oh, yeah, Lucy had forgotten that he'd already been in here a few times before.

Lucy grumbled a bit but walked back to him, and peered into the first rooms keyhole.

The room's number was _201,_ but all Lucy could see was a ordinary bedroom, with a queen-sized bed and beige walls, and a plant in the corner.

Natsu insisted that Lucy check all the rooms, but they were all the same. _202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 214-_

Wait. 214?

Lucy turned back, and sure enough, there was no _213._

"Natsu, where's 213?"

Natsu giggled in that way he did whenever something horrible was about to happen, and Lucy squeezed her eyes shut.

Why did she agree to this again?

The last room was _215,_ and it was normal as well.

They had reached the end of the hallway.

It was a dead-end.

"Where do we go?" Lucy asked.

"Back down the hallway. Check the doors again, though." Natsu giggled again.

Lucy stared at _215_ with a serious case of nerves.

"It's gonna have changed, isn't it?"

"Nope." Natsu seemed to be trying to tone down his mischievous smile.

"...I'm a Heartfilia... Not afraid of anything..." Lucy muttered to herself, bending down to check the keyhole.

The room was in disarray. The potted plant was smashed, the bed was messed up, the ceiling was cracked, and walls splattered with blood.

Lucy struggled to take it all in, and when she retreated from the door, Natsu was gone.

"...Natsu? Heh, I get it, you're trying to scare me right? Well, it's not gonna work!" Lucy called.

"...totally not gonna work..." Lucy muttered to herself when Natsu still didn't show up.

She ignored the doors, since Natsu was forcing her to look into them anymore, and ran back down the hallway.

The stairs were gone. In their place was a new door, hanging slightly open.

_213._

Lucy bit her lip nervously, but was startled by a loud...

_BANG _

Lucy screamed and turned, coming face-to-plastic with the creepy doll.

It was holding a tuft of pink hair.

_Natsu._

Lucy screamed so loudly she thought the whole world must've heard it, and with no other options, bolted into room 213.

The room was so full of mist that Lucy couldn't see her own hand.

Whispers and soft muttering reached her ears.

_a young one..._

_a female..._

_should we let her go?_

_We didn't let the young male go..._

And then, collectively, the quiet voices said...

_Let's catch her..._

Lucy bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from screaming and ran through the mist, trying to get to somewhere.

But she couldn't find anything.

Finally a loud bang resounded from somewhere near her.

Uh oh.

The bang had always been followed by the doll.

Lucy screamed, and ran away from the noise.

Straight into a wall.

_Ow..._

_Ow..._

_Ow..._

The voices winced at her pain.

Lucy blinked back tears, kept her hand on the wall, and ran.

Using the wall as a guide, she found a staircase.

Racing down it, Lucy found herself at the front door again.

She flung it open and ran out, hurtling straight into a surprised Natsu.

He stumbled but didn't fall, but Lucy lost her balance and almost fell herself.

Natsu caught her by the arm and hauled her up.

"N-Natsu?! Where'd you go? Didn't the d-doll murder you?" Lucy asked, but as soon as she said it, she realized how silly that sounded.

Natsu gave her an odd look. "You're weird, Luce."

"B-But... the voices!" Lucy protested, remembering how one of them had mentioned a _'young male'._

"What voices? I've been through that house five times, and I've never heard any voices." Natsu replied.

Lucy stared at him, trying to see if he was lying, but when he didn't even smile or laugh a bit, she knew he was telling the truth.

Natsu couldn't lie like that.

Lucy looked back at the house, and back at Natsu, and then at her feet.

"I'm going to go home now... and never come out ever again..." Lucy told Natsu, slowly turning away from Natsu and running to her mother.

Natsu watched in silence as Lucy took back her bag of candy and her mother made a call on her phone.

A small smile formed on his face.

His ability to both act and lie, was something Lucy had always underestimated...

* * *

**My second- no, THIRD! My third halloween one! **

**The haunted house was kind of weird, but I was going for more of a "straight-out-of-a-horror-story" feel. **

**I've heard so many scary doll stories its not even funny, and the apartment door thing is from another scary story I know, but I don't know what to call it exactly. The story actually runs pretty differently from what happened in the haunted house, but that was the basis for the apartment doors. The 'white room' and 'mist room' are probably something from some horror story or movie somewhere, but I wouldn't know, as I came up with these ones all on my own.**

**Anyway, please review!**

**THANKS FOR READING**


	14. A Pink Kitten and a Red Dragon

**December 15, The Heartfilia Estate:**

"Momma, what're you doing?" Lucy curiously asked, approaching where her mother sat writing at the dining table.

Layla looked up from her list, "Lucy, it's_ what are, _not what're. Again, please."

Lucy stuck out her lower lip in a pouty gesture, but said it again anyway.

"Momma, what are you doing?"

"I'm writing down everyone who we need to find a gift for. It's a bit early, but since your father and I are going away, I want to be prepared. " Layla replied.

Lucy pulled up a chair, looking over Layla's list.

_Uncle who always give me candy, Aunt who pinches my cheeks, cousin who likes eating crayons, cousin who tries on all my clothes, cousin who robbed that convenience store, Grandfather, Grandmother, Natsu, Aunt-_

WAIT A MINUTE.

"Natsu?!" Lucy pointed at Natsu's name on the list, like Layla couldn't see the name.

"Yes, dear, I thought it would be nice to get a present for your friend. We always used to get Megan and Katie a gift." Layla said absentmindedly, thinking hard.

At the sound of her old friends name's, Lucy grew somber, her eyes stormy, just like every time someone mentioned Katie or Megan. To mention the two at the same time was taboo.

Papa had finally found out about the jewel theft, and immediately supplied the police with video footage of the crime, having an officer interrogate the parents so that they admitted they forced Megan into it.

Lucy had her jewels back, but Megan was gone forever. Once it had been discovered Megan was forced into it, Lucy had gotten excited, hoping that Megan had been faking and still wanted to be her friend.

Except that Megan was now in an orphanage halfway across the country, and her parents were in jail. Lucy would likely never see her again, nor would Megan want to see her again.

And Katie... well, Katie was also halfway across the country but for different reasons, such as moving.

"Natsu's not my friend. He doesn't deserve a gift." Lucy mumbled, slumping into her chair.

"Why is that?" Layla asked, hoping to pull Lucy out of her bad mood.

"Well, for starters, he always picks on me. He taunted me into going into the haunted house, and I still have nightmares about that!" Lucy glared at her feet, like they had caused all her problems.

"I'm not sure. He still seems nice to me." Layla smiled, a plan forming in her head.

"He's not!" Lucy protested.

"Convince me."

"What?" Lucy sat up, looking at Layla curiously.

"Convince me that he's mean. Argue your case, like your father and tutor have been teaching you." Layla ordered.

Lucy hesitated for a second, but then she launched into it.

"He picks on me daily-"

"-and yet you let him continue doing this to you without having a teacher or adult stop him." Layla counter-argued.

Lucy stared at her mother.

Layla smiled kindly back, like she had never said a word.

"He took my valentine candy-"

"-but let's remember that you purposefully gave him no candy beforehand."

Lucy gaped at her mother, a bit of annoyance starting to form.

"He tore up my drawings!"

"And yet you only responded with more ripping of drawings."

"He made me get a head injury on halloween!"

"Accidentally, and to make up for it he gave you half of his halloween candy."

Lucy's anger flared.

"He... he... HE WOULDN'T TAKE OFF THAT STUPID NINJA COSTUME!"

"That was his own choice. You let it annoy you, and then you forced him out of it, and then you attacked him when he only lightly insulted me."

"He attacked back."

"But you started it."

"He told Karen about me and Loki and got me pepper-sprayed!"

"Only because he knew Loki was a cheater and wanted you out of the relationship."

"He knocked me unconscious!"

"Accidentally."

Lucy deflated, out of arguments.

"I... I give up... you win..." Lucy grumbled.

Layla smiled a bit too sweetly, an abnormal twinkle in her eye.

"Of course, dear. Now, what do you think he would like for a present?"

**December 21, The Heartfilia Estate:**

Lucy stared at the orange gift-wrapped box in front of her.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" She asked Layla, who was holding it out for her.

"Give it to Natsu, of course."

"Momma, I can't just give it to him in the middle of school!"

"Oh, of course not. You can give it to him before or after school."

"B-But..." Lucy weakly protested as Layla forced to gift into her hands and she stumbled into the car.

Lucy sat in the car as Layla drove, trying to find a way to give this to Natsu without making it seem like a big deal.

All too soon, they were at school. It was a very gray day, with gray and cloudy sky, and not one spot of colour one the bare trees in front of the school. The sun wasn't visible, and the air was crisp and cold.

Layla pulled Lucy out of the car, and Lucy started to say goodbye.

And then Layla spotted someone with pink hair.

"Natsu! Come here! Lucy has something for you!" Layla yelled, attracting the attention of _every single person there._

Lucy could have fainted, right there and then.

"Momma!" she groaned, trying to hide behind her.

Natsu ran up, goofy grin on his face like always.

"Hello, Luce's mom! Heya, Luce!" Natsu greeted, staring up at Layla respectfully, and waving cheerfully at Lucy.

"Hey, Natsu..." Lucy grumbled, getting out from behind her mother's legs.

Layla smiled knowingly, which Lucy found very irritating, and started to get back into the car.

"So, Luce, what've you got?" Natsu asked, already staring at the bright orange present Lucy was holding.

"It's 'what _have _you got', idiot. Again." Lucy scoffed.

Natsu frowned.

There she went, being all uptight again. Couldn't she just let things like this drop?

"No." Natsu said firmly.

"Excuse me?" Lucy pursed her lips, somehow managing to look down on Natsu even though he was at least two inches taller than her.

"I said no, Luce. You're always trying to get me to do things your way, and I'm sick of it! I don't need to know proper grammar and stuff, people understand me without all this fancy stuff!" Natsu looked down at the present in Lucy's hands.

Lucy's jaw tightened, her eyes blazed, and her eyebrows furrowed. The resemblance to her father was suddenly striking, as Lucy would know if she had a mirror.

"That's for me, isn't it?" Natsu pointed at the present.

"Not anymore, it isn't." Lucy cooly retorted.

"What? You can't just un-give a present."

"But I never gave it to you in the first place."

Natsu was fed up with all of this. Lucy was being irritating, and annoying, and... Lucy-ish. It was his present, and he wanted it!

He snatched it from her hands, already starting to run away.

Lucy stood stock still for a second, two images flashing in her head: Natsu with her diamond tiara, and Natsu with her valentine candy.

He wasn't going to steal another thing from her.

Lucy carelessly dumped her backpack, taking off after Natsu. He was faster than her, yes, but Lucy was full of rage and pent-up anger and frustration.

He was NOT getting away.

Lucy chased after Natsu, gaining on him slowly. Breathing became a suddenly difficult thing to do, and Lucy tried to breath normally but failed miserably. Her lungs burned, and Natsu was starting to head up the stairs that led out of the school grounds.

Lucy started to falter, suddenly remembering her bright blue backpack and how it had all of her stuff in it, like a change of shoes and her lunch- and how she had left it back where anyone could take it. Lucy hesitated at the foot of the stairs, not wanting to leave the school grounds without her mom.

And then Natsu turned to face her and paused for a moment, only slightly out of breath. He was at the top of the stairs, Lucy was at the bottom.

He opened his mouth to say something.

Lucy waited, getting her breath back and pondering if she should break the rules again... it hadn't exactly worked out perfectly last time she did it.

Natsu took a deep breath and sang, _"I'm the king of the castle, you're the dirty rascal~" _

Lucy brows furrowed, starting to march up the stairs.

Lucy Heartfilia is many things, but she is _not_ a dirty rascal.

Natsu scrambled away, going back to running, but Lucy was snapping at his heels. The two careened into the park, running across a wide grassy field. Finally Lucy got desperate as Natsu put on a burst of speed and started to slip away. She pushed off the ground as hard as she could, and tackled Natsu just as he was looking back at her.

She could see the realization in his face, the dawning horror of the inevitable crash. For a second, she felt sorry for him. And then they collided.

Natsu and her went sailing through the air, and for a second it was almost peaceful, but Lucy also happened to have her face in Natsu's stupid pink hair, which was less-than-pleasant. It smelt like... charcoal?

And then they crashed, which knocked the air out of Lucy, but also happened to make a loud _THUMPING _sound, which kind of worried her. Lucy moaned from where she was on top of Natsu- and then she caught another whiff of charcoal and realized that her face was still in his hair. Trying to scramble up, she managed to roll off of him, but that was the extent of her movement.

Natsu rolled over onto his back, groaning, and for a while the two just lay there, staring at the sky.

"I... I'm going to..." Natsu finally began.

Lucy blinked and looked at him.

"I think- I think I'm going to kill you..." Natsu gasped, getting up on his feet.

Lucy feebly tried to get up, but Natsu was already on her.

"Natsu!" she shrieked, in hopes someone would come get him off her.

"Too late, Luce!" Natsu grinned maliciously, reaching into his pocket for something.

Lucy gulped, scared, as Natsu fingered whatever was in his pocket, pulling out... a red sharpie.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me!" Lucy wailed, grimacing.

"Sorry Luce, but- you totally deserve it!" Natsu laughed maniacally, eventually quieting down and popping the cap off the sharpie with his teeth.

"Is it at least washable, and non-toxic?!" Lucy cried as the sharpie got closer to her face.

"Non-toxic? I don't know, you read the label and tell me." Natsu held out the pen to Lucy's face so she could read it. Lucy tried to ignore the sharp scent of the sharp, and squinted so she could read the label.

_blah blah blah blah- non-toxic... permanent... fade and water resistant... _

Lucy had to think fast.

"It's completely lethal, if you use it to draw on my face I guarantee that I will get severely sick and it will be all on you." Lucy hurriedly said, trying not to betray that she was lying.

"It is?! Crap, I was gonna draw a dragon on your forehead, since you seem to _hate _them _so _much!" Natsu spat at her, putting the cap back on his sharpie.

Lucy rolled her eyes, "It was in kindergarten, get over it! Besides, you tore up even more of my drawings! And... wait, where's the present?"

Natsu blinked, and got off of Lucy, looking around.

Lucy winced as she got up, rubbing her legs, where Natsu had sat on her. Stretching, she stood up and looked around.

Natsu was looking towards the school, so Lucy looked in the other direction, almost immediately spotting it.

It was slightly scuffed and crumpled, but Layla had used good wrapping paper and a good box, so it was mostly fine.

"Natsu, I found it!" Lucy called, picking up the present.

Natsu ran over, trying to rip the box out of Lucy's hands. Lucy spun the box away, keeping it out of Natsu's grasps.

"Luce, just give it to me!" Natsu lunged for the gift again.

"Say the magic word!" Lucy teased, side-stepping.

"Uh, Abracadabra!?" Natsu guessed, irritated.

"Nope!"

"Presto!"

"Uh-uh." Lucy shook her head.

"Fairy?" Natsu weakly guessed, his attempts to grab the present getting less vivid.

"Not even close, Flame-Brain." Lucy giggled.

Natsu finally flopped onto the ground, sighing and closing his eyes.

Lucy cautiously sat down near him, hugging the present protectively.

"Natsu?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah?"

"Are... Are you okay?" Lucy tentatively asked, glancing towards the school. Had the bell gone yet?

"I'm fine, Luce. Why do you care, anyway?" Natsu said, grumpily frowning.

"You're currently like... my only friend, even if I despise you..." Lucy admitted, sighing in despair.

"Despise?"

"It means that I hate you."

"Oh. Well, what about Me-... Meg-... Meg-something or other?" Natsu asked, still obviously moody from his tone of voice.

"It's Megan, and she's in an orphanage somewhere far away... didn't you hear about the big scandal? She stole from me, you know..." Lucy sighed again, hugging the present harder.

"She did? That sucks." Natsu said, a note of genuineness in his voice.

"And Katie left last year..." Lucy gazed at the present.

"Oh. That's too bad... I'm really your only friend-ish person?"

"I guess." Lucy tossed the present to Natsu.

His eyes were still closed, but when it softly landed on the grass beside him, he opened his eyes and raised his eyebrows in a silent question.

"I just wanted to do something nice-ish for a change. Now, I have to go, I left my backpack..." Lucy said matter-of-factly, getting up and brushing off her dress, jogging towards the school.

Lucy suddenly turned as she was jogging away, yelling, "You better like it, I chose it!"

As Lucy left, Natsu eagerly tore open the present.

It was a stuffed red dragon, and a stuffed pink kitten. Huh.

Taking a big breath, Natsu yelled as loud as he could,

"THANK YOU LUCE!"

* * *

**I feel like that was kinda lame... I'M SOOOO SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO UPDATE**

**But I have two chapter tests I missed recently so I have to take them, and thanksgiving stuff, and well... time got away from me.**

**I don't own anything.**

**THANKS FOR READING**

**Review please!**


	15. And It All Came Crashing Down

**June 30th, The Heartfilia Estate:**

Lucy frowned.

Well, the phone was certainly still there. Sitting on the kitchen counter.

Yep. In perfect condition.

Nice and shiny and black.

Just waiting for her to pick it up.

She knew the number, it was stored in her head. Crammed right on in there.

All she had to do was pick up the phone and dial it.

It would sate her curiosity, unless the person in question did not pick up the phone.

So, just recapping, all she had to do was dial the number. She had indeed been curious about this all summer.

And second now, she was due to reach down and pick up the phone, and- "Are you going to call him or not?!" Spetto huffed, her hands on her hips.

Lucy turned to face Spetto, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.

"I'm sorry Spetto-san, I'm just nervous. I haven't seen him in a while, and it's... well, unusual for me to attempt to contact him..." Lucy said, fiddling with her hair.

"Oh, pish-posh. You're just procrastinating. Pick up the phone, this instant." Spetto ordered, her tone making it clear that there wasn't room for arguments.

They were in the Heartfilia's kitchen, which was an enormous room with black and white tiled floors, pale blue walls, and big windows to let the light shine in. One half of the room was occupied by several ovens, two enormous fridges, and a gigantic counter area. In the other half of the room, there was a large, ornate dining table made of oak, where Lucy was currently sitting.

Lucy picked up the phone and sighed in defeat, dialing his number in.

_Ring_

Lucy glanced at her caretaker, half-hoping that she would walk away so Lucy could hang up again.

_Ring_

Oh no, she wasn't prepared for this, talking in person was one thing, but taking the time and effort to contact him just because of some silly questions? He'd probably just missed that month of school because he fractured every bone in his body or something- he had done stupider things before...

_Ring_

'Please don't pick up, please don't pick up, please don't pick up-'

_This number is no longer in service. For help, press 1..._

Lucy sighed in relief, hanging the phone up.

"Did he not answer?" Spetto asked.

"Yep, they said that the number was no longer in service...? Whatever that means..." Lucy shrugged, walking away happily. She headed through the open doorway, into the living room. (a large and bland space filled with a truly humongous couch and a ridiculously wide TV)

"Wait, they said that the number is no longer in service? Well, maybe they got a new phone number... hmm, we'll have to check this out. Lucy, put your shoes on, we're going out!" Spetto called, once again in that tone that Lucy just couldn't defy.

Lucy, who was walking through the living room by the time that Spetto yelled, grabbed a pillow from the beige couch and stuffed her face in it.

Ugh, she'll have to visit Natsu...

_Ring!_

Lucy's head popped out of the pillow.

Someone was calling.

_Ring!_

"I'll get it, Spetto-san!" Lucy yelled, running back into the kitchen to answer the phone.

Lucy hurriedly pressed the talk button, pulling the phone up to her ear.

"Hello?"

_"Lucy!"_ Layla's voice drifted through the reciever, and Lucy almost jumped with joy.

"Momma! How's your trip?" Lucy asked, "When are you coming home?"

_"It's been enjoyable so far, though Papa has been very busy with work,"_ Layla paused for a moment, _"We'll be coming home tonight."_

"Really?! But I thought-!"

_"Lucy, please, calm down. I would appreciate being able to still hear properly when I hang up."_ Layla said, good-naturedly, but Lucy detected a stern undertone.

"Sorry, Momma. I thought you were coming home in a few days?"

_"No, Papa finished his work early, so we'll be coming home early."_

"That's awesome! I can't wait to see you!" Lucy cheered, tactfully keeping the receiver away from her mouth so that Layla wasn't blasted with sound again.

_"Yes, I can't wait to see you again either."_ Layla replied lovingly, and Lucy immediately felt all fuzzy and warm inside.

"G'bye, momma." Lucy said softly, smiling to herself.

_"Goodbye, Lucy. Give my regards to Spetto as well, please."_

_"I love you."_ Layla finished.

And then the line went dead.

Lucy kept the phone to her ear for a while longer, the uninterrupted humming becoming the only thing she heard.

"Lucy! Time to go to Natsu's!" Spetto called.

"Coming, Spetto-san!"

* * *

**June 30th, Natsu's House:**

"Again, how did you know where he lives?" Spetto asked as Lucy reached up to knock on the door.

"I just do. It's probably better if you don't question me when we're dealing with Natsu." Lucy glanced over her shoulder at Spetto, calmly knocking on the door.

_Knock_

_Knock_

Natsu lived in an ordinary looking red brick house, with a deep black door and oddly placed windows. It was much smaller than Lucy was used to, but she had to remember that some people weren't as fortunate as herself.

The door swung open, and Lucy braced herself for an explosion of bratty energy, namely Natsu.

"Hello there." said a woman with pretty brown hair and tired green eyes.

"Um, hi. My name is Lucy. Is Natsu there?" Lucy politely asked, sending a bewildered look at Spetto.

"I'm sorry, you must have the wrong house. I don't think I know anyone named Natsu." The woman smiled sadly and Lucy stared at her.

"No. You're wrong. This is definitely Natsu's house."

"...Look, I'm sorry, I just moved in here. I really don't know anyone named Natsu... My name is Penelope." Penelope held out a hand, smiling weakly.

Lucy took the woman's hand and shook it, staring determinedly up at Penelope. Natsu lived here. She knew he lived here. She had seen him enter this house before. What did Penelope know? Who was this Penelope, anyway?

"Nice to meet you. When did you move here?" Lucy asked, not unkindly.

"Since around the beginning of May, why do you ask?"

The beginning of May. Natsu had left school right around then. Lucy ignored the growing feeling of fear and dread in her gut and continued on talking.

"Do you know who lived here before?"

"Not really, no. Did you know them?" Penelope asked, curiosity shining in her eyes.

"Yes. Do you at least know why they moved out?" Lucy asked, desperate now.

"I'm not sure, really. Perhaps they just moved. Look, I'm really quite sorry I couldn't help you, and you seem like a lovely young lady, but I think you've got the wrong house." Penelope said, starting to close the door.

"I'm sorry for bothering you. You're right, I must have the wrong house..." Lucy said, and turned away from the door with a hollow feeling in her stomach.

Natsu had moved away too?

B-But... he was her only friend...

She told him that he was her only friend-ish person... And h-he...

He didn't say anything...

Lucy connected eyes with Spetto.

Her brows were drawn together, her lips trembling, her eyes shining in sorrow. She seemed to be saying,_ Are you alright?_

Lucy shakily smiled, _I'm fine._

Spetto's mouth was now set, her eyes hardened, _No you are not!_

Lucy kept on smiling, but her eyebrows creased together, _I AM TOO!_

Spetto grimaced, _I thought I've told you not to lie to me._

Lucy's smile fell, _I'm not lying!_

"Oh, this is ridiculous!" Spetto suddenly cried.

"What? I thought we were having a conversation with out faces... a converfacetion*!" Lucy asked, starting to head away from Natsu's- no, Penelope's house. Right, Penelope's house.

Penelope's house. Not Natsu's.

Lucy sighed. She was wasting time. She plodded along, heading back home, Spetto hovering behind her in a worried manner.

So. Natsu had moved away. Big deal!

She could make new friends! But first, of course, she would track down where he went. He couldn't hide from her, not with her connections. She would find him. A small revenge for how he always seemed to find _her._

Even if he was on the other side of the world, Lucy would find him. A benefit of being rich, she supposed.

They finally reached the Heartfilia Estate, and Lucy immediately retreated to her room.

She needed to think, and more importantly she needed to locate her frenemy.

**12:37 am, July 1st, The Heartfilia Estate:**

Lucy rubbed her eyes, trying to blink away the horrible exhaustion she felt. It was well past the time Spetto had called for her to fall asleep, but she had yet to locate Natsu and she just knew she couldn't sleep until she found him.

So she sat in her comfy bed, the lights nice and bright- seriously, had they always been this uncomfortable to the eye?- with a phone and papa's laptop in front of her. He wouldn't mind her borrowing it for the night.

She searched fervently, in an almost feverish daze. Five minutes felt like an hour.

_Ring!_

Lucy jumped, grabbing for the phone.

She rubbed her eyes once more, sat up straight, and answered.

"H-Hello?" Lucy said groggily.

_"Hello."_ replied an incredibly sad voice on the other end of the line.

"Are you alright?" Lucy asked, concerned.

A bitter laugh came through the line, and Lucy winced.

_"I'm just great, miss. It's my job that makes me like this, you see?"_ The sad voice replied.

"I'm sorry, mister. You just sounded so sad."

_"I should be sad. My job requires me to be sad. If I'm not sad, people get mad at me, and then I might lose my job, which I don't want, because this job pays and LOT of money. Yep, not a lot of people could do what I do, miss!"_ A note of pride resounded through his last sentence, and Lucy smiled weakly.

"Excuse me for asking, but what are you calling for? It's dreadfully late, mister." Lucy asked.

_"Ah, right! You wouldn't happen to be Lucy Heartfilia, would you?"_

A streak of premonition shot through her.

"Yes, that would be me."

_"And you are currently... nine years of age?"_

"Yes." Lucy said, a bit insulted.

_"Is there an adult I could talk too?"_

"Yes." Lucy said, thinking of Spetto.

...

_"May I talk to them?"_

"Oh. Oh, alright. I'll go get her." Lucy blinked, embarrassed at how lethargic her brain was.

She ran downstairs to the living room, where Spetto was passed out on the couch- too tired to even change her dirty clothes. At the moment, the rest of the servants were on break, so the poor women had been forced to take care of all of the usual duties of the other servants, even gardening!

"Spetto-san!" she yelled, and the maid jerked upright, looking around for a few seconds before she focused on Lucy.

"Lucy-sama! What is it?! Do you know what time it is?! I was..." Spetto trailed off as Lucy thrust the phone in her face.

Spetto took the phone from her, and listened for a few moments before her face grew grim and she rushed into the kitchen.

...

Lucy sighed and turned on the TV, which was on the news. Papa didn't like it if you changed the channel, saying that the big TV was only to be used for serious things.

...She watched cartoons on it though...

At the moment, she couldn't be bothered to care about what channel it was on, so she sat and watched, in a trance, not even listening.

_'A private plane crashed while flying to a unknown location...'_

Spetto was taking a while.

'_Sources are currently reporting that there are no survivors...'_

Where was Natsu?

_'The plane belonged to Jude Heartfilia, owner of the Heartfilia company.'_

Wait. What?!

_"It has been confirmed that both Jude and his wife, Layla Heartfilia, were on the flight and are now dead."_

Lucy tuned out.

Wait.

A.

Minute.

What.

Just.

Happened?

Her.

Parents.

Were.

Dead?

Her parents were dead.

Spetto came crashing back into the room, tears flowing freely from her eyes.

Lucy turned to her, and her voice was cold, almost dead.

"Spetto. Who was on the phone?"

The question had a disturbing sense on normality to it.

"L-L-Lucy-sama… Y-Your p-parents…"

"I know, Spetto-san, I know."

Lucy waited for the horribly sad feelings. They weren't coming. Yet.

"You know?"

"Yes, they're dead. I'll never see them again." Lucy said, puzzled.

Why wasn't she feeling anything?

"Oh, Lucy-sama…" Spetto rushed to hug her.

"Spetto-san…" Lucy mumbled.

Layla.

Jude.

Layla and Jude.

Momma and Papa.

_"I love you."_

Those were her momma's last words to her.

_"Goodbye, Lucy."_

Those were her papa's.

"Spetto-san?" Lucy whispered, turning as white as snow.

She felt something wet fall across her face.

She reached up and wiped away her heavy tears, refusing to let herself wallow in sadness, no, not yet.

"Lucy-sama…" Spetto said, hugging her with all her might.

"I'm an orphan now, aren't I?"

The silence that followed was all the answer she needed.

* * *

***= converfacetion is a term my friend and fellow author made up. However, I was the one who insisted that we make it a challenge so that we both have to work it into our next chapter, no matter what story it is.**

**Just in case anyone is curious, his penname is Godpen~ **(And he is the greatest, you MUST check out his writings, like OHMYGOSH they are the greatest.)

**Just in case you were wondering, he is also my beta-reader (as of this chapter) and he himself added that bit about him being the 'greatest' (I have kept it non-bolded for clarification) . However, he is a good writer, and I suggest you to check out his stories.**

**I didn't really want to ruin the end of this chapter with a A/N but I kinda had to cause of the converfacetion thing.**

**THANKS FOR READING**

**Review please!**


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